Cheat Sheet Week 17 2009
Monday 20 April 2009
One UK hostage freed: One of the two British hostages held by MEND since september 2008, Robin Barry Hughes regained freedom on Sunday, while Matthew McGuire is still being held by the group.
Gun gangs dominate the Delta: Gun gangs have established a strong presence in local villages and are seen to be blamed for the uprise in violence in the region.
Canadian student kidnapped in Kaduna: A Canadian national, Julie Ann Mulligan, was kidnapped Thursday night, 16 April, around 9 pm in Kaduna. Original ransom demand of N100 million but later reduced to N20 million.
Police free hostage in Akwa Ibom: A Lebanese national, Mosouf, employee of Gitto Construction Company kidnapped on Thursday 16 April, was rescued by the police’s Anti-kidnap department on Saturday 18 April.
Child kidnapped in Port Harcourt: A three-year old girl was kidnapped on Sunday 19 April, around 11.00 hrs, near Sommitel Hotel, Peter Odilli Road, Port Harcourt.
Governor caught promising violent rigging of Ekiti poll: A tape recording appeared with evidence for planned violence by the PDP in the partial Ekiti election re-run.
Tuesday 21 April 2009
Two kidnapped from tanker: OOL resources reported the attack followed by the kidnap of the Captain and 1st engineer of the Ilena Mercan, 20 April, 21.30 hrs, off the coast of Bayelsa State.
Brit PM speaks on hostage release: PM Gordon Brown welcomed the release of Robin Hughes but expressed concerns for Matthew McGuire who is still being held by MEND.
Rotary refuse to pay ransom for kidnapped Canadian: Rotary International said not to be willing to pay any ransom for the release of Julie Ann Mulligan kidnapped on Thursday 16 april in Kaduna.
Tanker driver’s strike triggers Lagos fuel shortage: A fuel tanker drivers strike over harassment by Lagos traffic officials has left the city with a fuel shortage.
Related – President meets with governor on fuel crisis: President YRD and Lagos State Governor Mr. Babatunde Fashola met Monday night to discuss possible resolutions to the fuel scarcity which is now spreading across the country.
Vaswani brothers deported over import duty evasion: Authorities approved the deportation of the Vaswani brothers – Sunil, Haresh and Mahesh – over the non-payment of $20 million in rice import duties.
Uduaghan faults MEND’s rigging allegations: Governor Uduaghan of Delta State dismissed as false a recent allegation by MEND that the PDP held a meeting with militants to ensure the re-election of governors from the region and rig the 2011 elections for the party.
Scheming vote riggers: Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun state held a secret meeting with 16 local government chairmen as preparation for planning to rig the re-run governorship election on Saturday, in Ekiti state.
Wednesday 22 April 2009
Turkish hostages named: The ship, Aleyna Mercan, attacked on Monday is Marshall Islands flagged and Turkish operated. The two hostages taken are Captain Sinan Taşkıran and Engineer Salim Atilla Şengül.
Negotiations for kidnapped Canadian ongoing: An unidentified man told journalists that Julie Ann Mulligan was ill but getting better and confirmed that she was held for ransom.
Government seeks US assistance on security: The Minister of State for Defence, Mr. Ademola Seriki, yesterday appealed to the U.S. for help on security, especially in the Niger Delta region.
Tanker drivers end four-day strike: Tokunbu Korodo, branch secretary for oil workers’ union NUPENG said that the FG intervened and the strike had been called-off.
More Stallion staff to be deported: The Vaswani brothers – Sunil, Haresh and Maresh, are to be permanently deported, alongside 21 top officials of Stallion Group, who were deported on Saturday. 7 more of their officials will also soon be deported according to the EFCC.
President seems uninterested in second term: President YRD refused to state his desire to run for second term in office during a political convention in Abuja.
Thursday 23 April 2009
Turkish hostages released: Captain Sinan Taskiran and engineer Salim Attila Sengul, Turkish crew members of the Aleyna Mercan abducted on Monday, were released on Wednesday.
Robbers kill at least 30 in cash van raid: Monday armed robbers attack a van carrying cash and three passengers busses in Anambra killing at least 30 and leaving about 15 people wounded.
Two militants killed in gun battle: Colonel Rabe Abubakar, said on Wednesday that 2 militants were killed and 3 arrested by a JTF patrol team at Degema in Rivers State.
Julius Berger ordered to repay $42 million: FG on Wednesday ordered Julius Berger to pay back around $42 million after it failed to finish the rebuilding of the mean east west road, Niger Delta.
President proposes N96.6 billion budget for Delta: President YRD proposed a N96.62 billion budget for the Niger Development Commission, Channels Television said on its Web site. The budget is 8.3% higher than last year’s budget.
Power agency officials charged with fraud: 7 officials from the NERC have been charged with “criminal diversion” of state funds; diverting for their private use about N5 billion.
Forgotten Nigerian hostages in Somalia: Since August last year, 10 nigerian crew members of the seized Nigerian tugboat the M/V Yenagoa Ocean are held by Somalian kidnappers, demanding a $1 million ransom.
And there is this… Agency arrests 355 goats in Kaduna: The Kaduna State Environmental Protection Authority said on Wednesday that it arrested 335 goats for sanitation offences between January 2008 and April 2009
Friday 24 April 2009
Ekiti elections: AC commended President YRD’s decision not to deploy soldiers to South-west Ekiti state Saturday’s governorship election re-run.
Canadian hostage ‘seriously’ sick: The Canadian woman, Julie Ann Mulligan, kidnapped on Thursday 16 April, in Kaduna is seriously ill, her captors told AFP Thursday.
Treatment delays released hostage: Robin Hughes, released by MEND on Sunday, must remain in Nigeria for another week for further medical treatment.
Shell must defend rights suit: District Judge Kimba Wood in New York ruled that Shell must face a lawsuit seeking to hold it responsible for violations of international law by Nigeria’s military government.
Chevron denied court costs from Nigeria suit: A federal judge in San Francisco denied a request by Chevron Corp. to recoup $485,000 in court costs from a group of Nigerian villagers who lost their lawsuit against the oil company.
Cameroonian rebel leader arrested in Nigeria: Rebel leader Limane Malloum Oumate Boukar from Cameroon was arrested in Maiduguri by Nigerian security forces and transferred to Cameroon.
Lagos travel restrictions – Eyo festival: Lagos Island is the venue for the Eyo Festival 25 April. The celebrations are held in Tafawa Balewa Square from 06:00-18:30hrs.
Hostage Watch
Today marks day 230 in captivity for Matthew McGuire abducted from the HD Blue Ocean on 9 Sept. 2008.
Also held: 4 foreign workers on the vessel, MV Seal Tide, attacked by pirates offshore Bakassi on 14.03.09
Also held: A Lebanese national, employed by Elite Construction Company, taken on 04.03.09 in Bayelsa state.
Also held: A Lebanese national, taken from the construction company site Samchase Construction Company, Ondo state, 11.02.09 .
Also held: A British national, employed by Ademac Ind. Ltd, taken on 06.04.09 in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Also held: a Canadian woman kidnapped on Thursday 16 April in Kaduna.
Posted in Weekly Cheat Sheet