Latest abduction by militants highlights mounting insecurity in
Niger delta. Five South Koreans and a Nigerian were kidnapped and six soldiers were killed during a militant attack between 24.00 and
01.00 on 7 June near Port Harcourt (Rivers state).
The incident occurred the day after an Abuja appeal court decided that leader of the militant Ijaw Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force (NDPVF) Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo Asari was a threat to national security and should remain in detention.
Claims by the militant Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) that the raid was retaliation for the court’s decision underline the risk
of further attacks until the government meets the militants’
demands.
One major security company continues to advise against non-essential travel to the Niger delta, where security and travel risks are rated at HIGH.
The security environment in the region will remain volatile and further militant attacks, including kidnaps and hostage-takings, are possible.
An escalation in attacks across the region is expected ahead of the 2007 elections.
Companies are advised to implement maximum security measures, including reviewing and updating evacuation procedures in
Rivers, Delta and Bayelsa states.