By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South, Sam Oyadongha, Yenagoa & Habib Yacoob
Posted to the Web: Monday, June 05, 2006
WARRI— THE eight foreign oil workers that were kidnapped, last Friday, by armed youths in Bayelsa State were released, yesterday to the state government but the militant group, Iduwini Volunteer Force (IVF), which carried out the abduction, said last night that the release was just the beginning of trouble for Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), warning: “We shall soon strike.”
Self-styled Commander of the IVF, Johnson Biboye, in a text message to Vanguard said: “I want to announce to the world the release of eight expatriates. It is just the beginning of trouble for SPDC and I declare that we in the IVF want to make history. We ask SPDC to leave our domain. We have the needed means and resources to bring down the E.A. Field and any other oil location in our domain. I warn that we shall soon strike and the world will be shocked.”
The United States government hailed the release of the hostages but said the abduction was wrong in the first instance.
An official of Peak Petroleum, however, pledged that the company would respond to the demands of the community and would not allow a repeat of the incident. However, the Bayelsa State government has scheduled a meeting for today between the community, the company with the government as a mediator.
The freed hostages, six Britons, one American and a Canadian whose names were given as Ian Metecafe, Ali Wallace, Lawrence Richards, Peter Vermeulen, Phil Morris, John Stewart, Texas Richards and Paul Sheppard, were abducted by the militants while on board the Bulford Dolphin rig at Bilabiri community in Ekeremor local government area, off the coast of Bayelsa State.
They were flown to Yenagoa in two batches into the waiting hands of Governor Goodluck Jonathan, who beamed with smiles as he received them. The first batch, comprising two Britons, was released at about 3 a.m by their captors while the second batch of six was flown to Government House, Yenagoa in a Nigerian Air Force Chopper NAF 531 at exactly 11.20a.m, yesterday.
Commander of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in the Niger Delta, Brigadier General Alfred Ilogho, confirmed to Vanguard when contacted yesterday that the Bayelsa State government coordinated the release of the hostages and that all the eight foreign oil workers were healthy.
Sources in Yenagoa, however, told Vanguard that the deputy governor, Mr Peremobowei Ebebi, who incidentally is from Ekeremor local government led the government team. Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Bolade Igali, was also in the team. They met with the chiefs, leaders and people of Bilabiri. The foreign oil workers who were seen with their tooth brushes at Government House told Governor Jonathan that they were not maltreated by the kidnappers but they complained that they had not taken their bath since they were abducted.
Three of them were clad in their company’s red colour overall rig uniform while others wore putting on short sleeve shirts and jeans trousers, all looking calm.
Speaking at a brief handover of the workers to their employers, Governor Jonathan described the incident as unfortunate and apologised on behalf of the state government for their incarceration, which he blamed on disagreement between the company and their host community.
He, however, called for a meeting involving the company, the community and the government today with a view to resolving their differences and avert a repeat of the incident.
Speaking on behalf of the hostages, Mr. Texas Richards, an American said: “We were not maltreated but we have not taken our bath for three days. We are glad to be back. We do understand the problem of the community. We appreciate the support of the governor. We ate canned food but we do not know who provided them. Community life is community life.”
US lauds release
In a reaction yesterday, the United States Government expressed joy over the release of the hostages. The US Embassy in a statement in Abuja, however, condemned hostage taking, describing it as deplorable. It said: “The United States Government is pleased with the news received that the eight hostages were released this morning (yesterday). “The Nigerian Government is to be commended for the positive and prompt resolution of this situation. However, we continue to deplore any acts of hostage taking.”
Royal Dutch Shell conspired directly with Hitler, financed the Nazi Party, was anti-Semitic and sold out its own Dutch Jewish employees to the Nazis. Shell had a close relationship with the Nazis during and after the reign of Sir Henri Deterding, an ardent Nazi, and the founder and decades long leader of the Royal Dutch Shell Group. His burial ceremony, which had all the trappings of a state funeral, was held at his private estate in Mecklenburg, Germany. The spectacle (photographs below) included a funeral procession led by a horse drawn funeral hearse with senior Nazis officials and senior Royal Dutch Shell directors in attendance, Nazi salutes at the graveside, swastika banners on display and wreaths and personal tributes from Adolf Hitler and Reichsmarschall, Hermann Goring. Deterding was an honored associate and supporter of Hitler and a personal friend of Goring.
Deterding was the guest of Hitler during a four day summit meeting at Berchtesgaden. Sir Henri and Hitler both had ambitions on Russian oil fields. Only an honored personal guest would be rewarded with a private four day meeting at Hitler’s mountain top retreat.
IN JULY 2007, MR BILL CAMPBELL (ABOVE, A RETIRED GROUP AUDITOR OF SHELL INTERNATIONAL SENT AN EMAIL TO EVERY UK MP AND MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF LORDS: 
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A head-cut image of Alfred Donovan (now deceased) appears courtesy of The Wall Street Journal.
