What's New In W. Africa (Nigeria)
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All Royal Dutch Shell contractors kidnapped in Nigeria this week have been freed by their captors, a company spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
Militants on Monday abducted about 25 Nigerian staff of a Shell contractor and killed at least 10 soldiers in a raid on a convoy of boats supplying oilfields in the Niger Delta.
No production was affected in the attack, the company said.
"All the contractors have been released," the Shell spokeswoman said.
Militant attacks and pipeline leaks have cut roughly a quarter of production for Africa's biggest oil producer.
In a separate attack, suspected Nigerian militants on Tuesday invaded a residential compound for foreign oil workers, killing two guards and kidnapping at least five expatriates.
The workers were taken from the compound in Eket, close to the operational base of Exxon Mobil, which exports about 800,000 barrels a day from Africa's top oil producer.
The series of attacks ended a period of relative quiet in the Niger Delta, which accounts for all oil output from the world's eighth biggest exporter.
Militants on Monday abducted about 25 Nigerian staff of a Shell contractor and killed at least 10 soldiers in a raid on a convoy of boats supplying oilfields in the Niger Delta.
No production was affected in the attack, the company said.
"All the contractors have been released," the Shell spokeswoman said.
Militant attacks and pipeline leaks have cut roughly a quarter of production for Africa's biggest oil producer.
In a separate attack, suspected Nigerian militants on Tuesday invaded a residential compound for foreign oil workers, killing two guards and kidnapping at least five expatriates.
The workers were taken from the compound in Eket, close to the operational base of Exxon Mobil, which exports about 800,000 barrels a day from Africa's top oil producer.
The series of attacks ended a period of relative quiet in the Niger Delta, which accounts for all oil output from the world's eighth biggest exporter.
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Nigerian Hostages
There is a rumour which started about half an hour ago that the hostages taken in Eket yesterday may be on the brink of being released. It looks as if the motive for their kidnapping was straightforward ransom. Let's hope that the rumours are true and that we see them all safe and well soon.
Meanwhile, at about the same time, there are stories that terrorists have attacked an Agip boat convoy near Brass and killed more military personnel. If this turns out to be true things could hot up even more as the military here have a history of savage reprisals when their people are targetted.
Naturally both Bristow and CHC are now urgently working on implementing danger pay for their employees in Nigeria - yeah, yeah, I believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus too
Meanwhile, at about the same time, there are stories that terrorists have attacked an Agip boat convoy near Brass and killed more military personnel. If this turns out to be true things could hot up even more as the military here have a history of savage reprisals when their people are targetted.
Naturally both Bristow and CHC are now urgently working on implementing danger pay for their employees in Nigeria - yeah, yeah, I believe in the tooth fairy and Santa Claus too
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Mend Renounces Hostage Taking
Yes, it's unlikely the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) took the latest hostages in view of a recent press release by their spokesperson, Cynthia Whyte as published on the website of the United Ijaw States (http://www.unitedijawstates.com/):
JOINT REVOLUTIONARY COUNCIL
Comprising
NDPVF, MEND & The Martyrs Brigade
Press Release: Open Letter to the International Community
For more than one year now, our patriotic and esteemed leader Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari has been under the detention of the very dubious, satanic, corrupt and morally bankrupt forces that today lord over the contraption called Nigeria.
At the time of his arrest, he had gladly taken up the role of 'Peacemaker' in the Niger Delta and beyond providing a bridge between warring personalities, groups and communities. In spite of this, the hegemony that rules the Nigerian contraption thought it wise to criminally arrest and detain our leader and flag bearer of the Ijaw struggle.
Let us make this very clear. We do not and cannot beg for his release. As the flag bearer of the Ijaw and Niger Delta, and as a great grandson of the famous Kalabari warrior King Amachree, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari has always known that persecutions, trials and dark clouds will always arise. We believe that his current travels are part of the dictates of his onerous calling. Great men have always passed that route.
We commend the efforts of the International Community especially the United States and Great Britain for recognizing the grievousness of the Niger Delta question. Through the efforts of progressive minded groups, organizations and persons in the United States of America, the griming degree of our pain, poverty and plight has become a subject of discussion on high profile desks.
However, we condemn in all fullness, the activities of dubious, sycophant and corrupt organizations such as GoodWorks International and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation which have over time served as conduits for the frittering away of our monies without recourse to subtle remorse. The organizations have partnered with the corrupt regime of General Obasanjo to unleash on citizens of the Nigerian state criminally minded development initiatives such as The Obasanjo Library. These organizations have also connived with ChevronTexaco to siphon large amounts of monies in the name of creating programmes to improve the quality of lives of poor Niger Delta people.
In furtherance therefore, we demand the full closure and disruption of the activities of these satanic groups in the Niger Delta.
We also demand in all fullness, the unconditional release of Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari from the gallows of the Nigerian state.
Failure to accede to these demands will incur our wrath. We are poised to begin another round of grim hostilities on the Nigerian state and its imperialist collaborators. We condemn all those who seek to cheapen the Niger Delta struggle by resorting to commercial hostage taking. In the future, there shall be no hostage taking or keeping by our group or alliance members. IF in the circumstances that we are forced to take hostages, they shall merely be serving the purpose of human shields and will never be used as bargaining tools.
All future hostages that may be taken WILL be agents and collaborators of the Nigerian state.
This is our word for the moment.
The Struggle Continues
Cynthia Whyte
Spokesperson, Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC)
Comprising
NDPVF, MEND & The Martyrs Brigade
Press Release: Open Letter to the International Community
For more than one year now, our patriotic and esteemed leader Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari has been under the detention of the very dubious, satanic, corrupt and morally bankrupt forces that today lord over the contraption called Nigeria.
At the time of his arrest, he had gladly taken up the role of 'Peacemaker' in the Niger Delta and beyond providing a bridge between warring personalities, groups and communities. In spite of this, the hegemony that rules the Nigerian contraption thought it wise to criminally arrest and detain our leader and flag bearer of the Ijaw struggle.
Let us make this very clear. We do not and cannot beg for his release. As the flag bearer of the Ijaw and Niger Delta, and as a great grandson of the famous Kalabari warrior King Amachree, Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari has always known that persecutions, trials and dark clouds will always arise. We believe that his current travels are part of the dictates of his onerous calling. Great men have always passed that route.
We commend the efforts of the International Community especially the United States and Great Britain for recognizing the grievousness of the Niger Delta question. Through the efforts of progressive minded groups, organizations and persons in the United States of America, the griming degree of our pain, poverty and plight has become a subject of discussion on high profile desks.
However, we condemn in all fullness, the activities of dubious, sycophant and corrupt organizations such as GoodWorks International and the Leon H. Sullivan Foundation which have over time served as conduits for the frittering away of our monies without recourse to subtle remorse. The organizations have partnered with the corrupt regime of General Obasanjo to unleash on citizens of the Nigerian state criminally minded development initiatives such as The Obasanjo Library. These organizations have also connived with ChevronTexaco to siphon large amounts of monies in the name of creating programmes to improve the quality of lives of poor Niger Delta people.
In furtherance therefore, we demand the full closure and disruption of the activities of these satanic groups in the Niger Delta.
We also demand in all fullness, the unconditional release of Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari from the gallows of the Nigerian state.
Failure to accede to these demands will incur our wrath. We are poised to begin another round of grim hostilities on the Nigerian state and its imperialist collaborators. We condemn all those who seek to cheapen the Niger Delta struggle by resorting to commercial hostage taking. In the future, there shall be no hostage taking or keeping by our group or alliance members. IF in the circumstances that we are forced to take hostages, they shall merely be serving the purpose of human shields and will never be used as bargaining tools.
All future hostages that may be taken WILL be agents and collaborators of the Nigerian state.
This is our word for the moment.
The Struggle Continues
Cynthia Whyte
Spokesperson, Joint Revolutionary Council (JRC)
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chc&proud please read
You were suggesting that we, pilots in nigeria, are exagerating. 
please check www.oyibosonline.com or any news agency like BBC, CNN, Reuters, AFP about what's going on in Port Harcourt area
And keep in mind that chc global just give us 100 cad dollars incentive pay to be there.
And i am just talking about security problems, not flight safety issues...
Please stay in norway, hiding behind your union !!! (nothing personal, thanks)
Fly safe and enjoy north sea weather
please check www.oyibosonline.com or any news agency like BBC, CNN, Reuters, AFP about what's going on in Port Harcourt area
And keep in mind that chc global just give us 100 cad dollars incentive pay to be there.
And i am just talking about security problems, not flight safety issues...
Please stay in norway, hiding behind your union !!! (nothing personal, thanks)
Fly safe and enjoy north sea weather
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FOUR British oil workers have been kidnapped following a deadly gun battle in Nigeria.
Two guards were killed when rebels burst into their compound.
Scots dad-of-two Paul Smith was among three British employees of Aberdeen firm Sparrows Offshore snatched from their beds on Tuesday.
Another Brit, a Romanian, a Malaysian and an Indonesian were also taken hostage.
"Paul's been working in Nigeria for about a year and never been in danger. We don't know much about what's happening.
"All we can do is sit by the phone and wait for news."
Paul, 30, is married to Paula, 28. They have two sons, Jordan, four, and two-year-old Keiran.
Paul was snatched when 18 armed youths stormed the Exxon Mobil contractors' compound in Eket in Akwa Ibom state.
There had been no contact from the kidnappers - the first to take expats from a compound.
A Sparrows spokesman said: "We are concerned for the safety of our colleagues.
"We are liaising with the Foreign Office, the local police and our own security advisers in Nigeria.
"We are in constant contact with the families in the UK."
Two guards were killed when rebels burst into their compound.
Scots dad-of-two Paul Smith was among three British employees of Aberdeen firm Sparrows Offshore snatched from their beds on Tuesday.
Another Brit, a Romanian, a Malaysian and an Indonesian were also taken hostage.
"Paul's been working in Nigeria for about a year and never been in danger. We don't know much about what's happening.
"All we can do is sit by the phone and wait for news."
Paul, 30, is married to Paula, 28. They have two sons, Jordan, four, and two-year-old Keiran.
Paul was snatched when 18 armed youths stormed the Exxon Mobil contractors' compound in Eket in Akwa Ibom state.
There had been no contact from the kidnappers - the first to take expats from a compound.
A Sparrows spokesman said: "We are concerned for the safety of our colleagues.
"We are liaising with the Foreign Office, the local police and our own security advisers in Nigeria.
"We are in constant contact with the families in the UK."
My concern for the hostages and sympathy for what their families are going through. Let's hope for a quick and positive outcome.
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Kidnapped Bristow Staff In Good Health
According to Reuters the 7 guys kidnapped from Esa Akpan are in good health and their abductors have demanded a ransom. The Akwa Ibom State government is reported to be leading negotiations for their release, as in most previous cases. Kidnappings for ransom are common in the Niger Delta and hostages are usually released unharmed after money changes hands.
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According to Reuters the 7 guys kidnapped from Esa Akpan are in good health
Kidnappings for ransom are common in the Niger Delta and hostages are usually released unharmed after money changes hands
There are no standards or rules adhered to by the kidnappers and even if "most" of these situations are resolved with hostages released unharmed, there is no guarantee.
Each minute, hour, day would seem like an eternity to those involved. Those kidnapped have no certainty of a successful outcome and anyway, right now they are captives and have to deal with that.
Naturally we all want these situations to resolve and fit the commonly expected pattern of "all's well that ends well" but it is those expectations that fuel my concern. Do the negotiators have such expectations? Do such expectations affect the way the negotiations are run? Are the negotiators alert to signs that a particular kidnapping might be different from previous ones? Will they adjust to any differences?
These situations are certainly serious.
My thoughts are with those involved.
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Azikwe street in Port harcourt this afternoon is like a war zone. People were running helter sketer and one could hear the sound of heavy shooting from afar. My car bumper was ripped off from the confussion another motorist bumped into me. Soldiers and militants are exchanging gun fire . I could not continue to confirm the report than to take an alternative route back home. I hope i am still in a trance and to be assured that it was in my imagination
.
. I could not continue to confirm the report than to take an alternative route back home. I hope i am still in a trance and to be assured that it was in my imagination .
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Spare A Thought For The Families
TO,
Never did think you were aiming shots at me and all that you say is very true. Reuters quoted as their source an un-named diplomat from one of the countries whose nationals were kidnapped.
We all just try to keep our spirits up with the thought that so far nobody who has been kidnapped has been hurt. We must bear in mind the poor families of the local security guards who have no welfare state to take care of them and I hope that the residents of the estate will have a collection to help their dependants. It's all too easy for expatriates here in Nigeria to get so tied up in their own security problems that they forget that a lot of people are being killed here every day.
What you say is quite correct - until something has happened for the first time, it's easy to be misled into believing that it never will. One just has to hope they don't want to kill off the goose that is laying the golden egg. Here's a perspective from a PENGASSAN official:
I hope that all concerned will soon be freed, but spare a thought for the families of those unfortunate security guards who were killed just because they were there, and the poor man who was shot in the stomach.
Tom
Never did think you were aiming shots at me and all that you say is very true. Reuters quoted as their source an un-named diplomat from one of the countries whose nationals were kidnapped.
We all just try to keep our spirits up with the thought that so far nobody who has been kidnapped has been hurt. We must bear in mind the poor families of the local security guards who have no welfare state to take care of them and I hope that the residents of the estate will have a collection to help their dependants. It's all too easy for expatriates here in Nigeria to get so tied up in their own security problems that they forget that a lot of people are being killed here every day.
What you say is quite correct - until something has happened for the first time, it's easy to be misled into believing that it never will. One just has to hope they don't want to kill off the goose that is laying the golden egg. Here's a perspective from a PENGASSAN official:
"These kidnappers can't be doing it on their own, without support from a powerful cabal that cuts across state and local governments and even the armed forces," Lumumba Okugbawa, acting secretary general of PENGASSAN, told Reuters by telephone.
"It's a lucrative business, these ransoms. (Government officials) establish contact with the kidnappers, they negotiate with them, yet no one is ever caught. The kidnappers always get off scot-free," he said.
"It's a lucrative business, these ransoms. (Government officials) establish contact with the kidnappers, they negotiate with them, yet no one is ever caught. The kidnappers always get off scot-free," he said.
Tom
I hope all goes well for the guys involved. It's good to see that in the local Aberdeen press there's 3 pages devoted to the story. Maybe that will raise the bar a bit. Why the BHNL guys are not on UK salaries but tax free, is such a mystery.
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Eket Attacck
Not any news from the Mandarin tower on the security situation in Nigeria, looks like some of the lads are going to make thier own decisions on the situation and walk. What with the elections coming up things cant get any better. I just wonder when PH is going to get it. Management seem to have taken cover again.
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212 Man: A mystery? You get paid by BHNL into a Channel Isle bank account and stay out of the UK for the requisite amount of time. The salary is tax-free. If you are in the UK for more than the 'allowed' time then you have to pay UK tax, no mystery. As yet UK does not tax nationals working overseas which I believe the USA (IRS) does. All 'the trouble' was bound to happen at some point, although when I was out there most people 'made like Alice ' ( i.e lived in wonderland ~ enjoyed the money, made the best of a bad place and ignored any possibility of personal danger)
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fudpucker,
I think 212 man was actually just saying that it's a mystery why the Bristow pilots in Nigeria aren't paid the same as their pilots on the North Sea. After all, if a job in Aberdeen is worth £X + allowances, why isn't it worth £X + different allowances in Nigeria?
I expect Mandarin Towers is too busy personally negotiating with the Niger Delta Frontier Force - NOT! It's a good excuse anyway for them to say how overworked they are and needing to be close to a computer terminal, so they can't visit the troops in Eket and help bolster morale
. Never mind, after this and with the 7/5 and the fantastic pay rise this year they'll probably have queues of people waiting to fill all the vacant posts in Nigeria
I think 212 man was actually just saying that it's a mystery why the Bristow pilots in Nigeria aren't paid the same as their pilots on the North Sea. After all, if a job in Aberdeen is worth £X + allowances, why isn't it worth £X + different allowances in Nigeria?
I expect Mandarin Towers is too busy personally negotiating with the Niger Delta Frontier Force - NOT! It's a good excuse anyway for them to say how overworked they are and needing to be close to a computer terminal, so they can't visit the troops in Eket and help bolster morale
. Never mind, after this and with the 7/5 and the fantastic pay rise this year they'll probably have queues of people waiting to fill all the vacant posts in Nigeria
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Salaries and Alice
Fudpucker, I rather think you are missing the point made by 212 Man. The current situation is that tax-free salaries in Nigeria are very close to the AFTER tax salary one would receive in ABZ. When the NS got it's big pay rise in 2000, this was not spread across to the overseas ops and now with the different cost centres the situation has worsened. I think you also miss the point that until recently there were no choices about where to work for some. I remember being stuck in Nigeria myself for several years and company giving me many empty promises about an imminent return to UK. It was only after I had spent 13K on a fixed wing licence that suddenly I got back, but it was all too late, I did what a lot of people are doing now - I left the company.
TOD
TOD
Quite!
Last edited by 212man; 6th Oct 2006 at 11:12.
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I don't know whether the families of the unfortunate people who have been kidnapped watch this thread, but whether they do or not, I'm sure that I'm not alone in saying that there are many of us watching the news, caring about the captives and their families, and wishing for the safe return of the captives soon.
AnJou Bon Ami,
Just when ever in the history of Bristow did a visit from one of the Mandarins ever improve the morale of the troops in the field? All it ever seemed to be was a boondogle and a chance to play some different golf courses.
Just when ever in the history of Bristow did a visit from one of the Mandarins ever improve the morale of the troops in the field? All it ever seemed to be was a boondogle and a chance to play some different golf courses.
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fudpucker,
I think 212 man was actually just saying that it's a mystery why the Bristow pilots in Nigeria aren't paid the same as their pilots on the North Sea. After all, if a job in Aberdeen is worth £X + allowances, why isn't it worth £X + different allowances in Nigeria?
I expect Mandarin Towers is too busy personally negotiating with the Niger Delta Frontier Force - NOT! It's a good excuse anyway for them to say how overworked they are and needing to be close to a computer terminal, so they can't visit the troops in Eket and help bolster morale . Never mind, after this and with the 7/5 and the fantastic pay rise this year they'll probably have queues of people waiting to fill all the vacant posts in Nigeria
I think 212 man was actually just saying that it's a mystery why the Bristow pilots in Nigeria aren't paid the same as their pilots on the North Sea. After all, if a job in Aberdeen is worth £X + allowances, why isn't it worth £X + different allowances in Nigeria?
I expect Mandarin Towers is too busy personally negotiating with the Niger Delta Frontier Force - NOT! It's a good excuse anyway for them to say how overworked they are and needing to be close to a computer terminal, so they can't visit the troops in Eket and help bolster morale
. Never mind, after this and with the 7/5 and the fantastic pay rise this year they'll probably have queues of people waiting to fill all the vacant posts in Nigeria
More gossip.....
Eket is recovering from the raid on the Bristow houses. Every expat house was hit....not all were penetrated. Some old friends were almost taken....do take care "Cuddles" me old lad! Bristow now feeding the troops instead of self catering to limit the exposure while each guy does his grocery shopping. No extra money is forthcoming but some discussion of going to 6/6. Bristow is getting humpy at Mobil about pressure to fly. Bristow hired some Security Consultants to help in design of the rebuild of the camp. (Now that last bit sounds like closing the gate after the horse has bolted to me!)
The government is negotiating with the Terrs...and the two Bristow guys being held are thought to be alive and well may be released soon.
Lets hope so!
Rumours of two expats being taken in the Isolo neighborhood in Lagos where the Bristow BRC is located.
Eket is recovering from the raid on the Bristow houses. Every expat house was hit....not all were penetrated. Some old friends were almost taken....do take care "Cuddles" me old lad! Bristow now feeding the troops instead of self catering to limit the exposure while each guy does his grocery shopping. No extra money is forthcoming but some discussion of going to 6/6. Bristow is getting humpy at Mobil about pressure to fly. Bristow hired some Security Consultants to help in design of the rebuild of the camp. (Now that last bit sounds like closing the gate after the horse has bolted to me!)
The government is negotiating with the Terrs...and the two Bristow guys being held are thought to be alive and well may be released soon.
Lets hope so!
Rumours of two expats being taken in the Isolo neighborhood in Lagos where the Bristow BRC is located.