NIGERIA, NIGERIA, NIGERIA

A dreadful rash of violence in the Niger Delta, driving oil prices up.

Oil prices rise after violence in Nigeria
May 9, 2007 (AP via International Herald Tribune)

WHO
Terrorists in Nigeria, presumably Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)

WHAT
The kidnapping of 4 American oil workers drove oil futures for light, sweet crude to US$62.38 on the New York Mercantile Exchange in European trading. June Brent crude was US$65.99 on London's ICE Futures exchange.

WHEN
May 8, just before midnight.

WHERE
Offshore in the southern Niger Delta.

WHY
See below.

QUOTES
Eurasia Group analyst Sebastian Spio-Garbrah: "I believe the rising spate of attacks is a short-term pre-inauguration thing…but after May 29 all the positive political catalysts for Niger Delta stability are there."
oil in Nigeria (click to enlarge)

MEND targets major Nigerian pipelines
May 8, 2007 (Independent of South Africa On Line)

WHO
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND)

WHAT
MEND destroyed three major pipelines

WHEN
May 8

WHERE
Bayelsa state, Niger Delta

WHY
See below. One pipeline loss put power out at an Italian (ENI/Agrip) facility. MEND attacks are designed to seriously cost the oil companies. They are Nigeria’s best equipped, best organized, smartest militants and have cost Nigeria 25% production in the past year.
They continue to hold 6 hostages taken May 2. They took 8 hostages May 4 but released them.

QUOTES
MEND spokesman: "Fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend) attacked and destroyed three major pipelines in Bayelsa state…All fighters involved in this attack have since returned to base without further incident…We will continue indefinitely with attacks on all pipelines, platforms and support vessels…In pursuance of our pledge to cripple the Nigerian crude oil export industry, we will resume attacks on pipelines around the entire Niger Delta, in the coming days…"


Unrest Spotlights Nigeria Woes
Carmen J. Gentile, May 2, 2007 (UPI)

WHO
Nigeria (Outgoing President Olusegun Obasanjo and President-elect Alhaji Umar Musa Yar'Adua), Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Chevron

WHAT
Six Chevron employees (4 Italians, 1 American, 1 Croatian) were abducted by MEND, the most recent of on-going attacks against international oil companies. Chevron will close the 15,000 barrel per day facility.

WHEN
This aduction took place May 2.

WHERE
Offshore oil facilities in the Niger Delta in the southern state of Bayelsa.

WHY
- A MEND statement said the action was intended to shame out-going President Obasanjo and the hostages will be released when Yar’Adua takes office at the end of May.
- 100 oil worker kidnappings in 15 months: MEND seeks a more equitable distribution of oil wealth and has threatened to shut down all Niger Delta production.
- Despite $300 billion in oil pumped from the Niger Delta region since the 1970s, most Nigerians live in poverty, with high unemployment and environmental ruination but without decent water or elctricity. Armed militants, criminal gangs and cults have rebelled, cutting oil production by 25% in the last year. Yar'Adua’s election, no change in the controlling party, was controversial, with many accusations of improprieties (fraud).

QUOTES
- Chevron: "Chevron Nigeria Ltd.'s Oloibiri Floating Storage and Offloading facility was boarded by militants, and six expatriate employees were kidnapped earlier today (May 2)…"
- Peter Takirambudde, Africa director, Human Rights Watch: "Instead of guaranteeing citizens' basic right to vote freely, Nigerian government and electoral officials actively colluded in the fraud and violence that marred the presidential polls in some areas…In other areas, officials closed their eyes to human rights abuses committed by supporters of the ruling party and others."
- Sunny Awhefeada, columnist, Nigeria's Guardian newspaper: "Nigeria has been betrayed several times by her rulers. The electoral humbug which took place in April is one in the litany of betrayals that has plagued the nation…The April elections in their entirety were a rape of the Nigerian people and a desecration of democracy. The perpetration of this act violated our hope in a most violent manner."