Letter to Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Re: Release of U.S. Filmmakers

Letter

Cantwell Calls on Nigerian President to Release Filmmakers

Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) sent the following letter with 12 of her colleagues to the President of Nigeria regarding the safe and secure release of U.S. citizens, who are currently being held by the Nigerian State Security Service.


[The text of the letter follows below]

April 15, 2008

His Excellency
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso Rock Villa, Abuja

Dear Mr. President:

We seek your personal assistance to secure the release of the following U.S. citizens: Sandy Cioffi, Tammi Sims, Clifford Worsham, and Sean Porter, as well as the release of a Nigerian citizen, Joel Bisina, who was taken into custody with them. These U.S. citizens entered Nigeria legally on April 5 to complete a documentary film concerning the impact of oil production on the Niger Delta. They were detained by the Nigerian military on April 12 while in the Niger Delta region and later transferred from military custody to the State Security Service in Abuja, where they continue to be detained without charge. We are deeply concerned that these individuals have been held for so long without any apparent cause.

We call on you to release this group immediately and urge you to ensure their full protection during their time in Nigeria.

Sincerely,

Sens. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Max Baucus (D-MT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Kerry, (D-MA), Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Sherrod Brown (D-OH)

Reps. Jim McDermott (D-WA-07), Jay Inslee (D-WA-01), Rick Larsen (D-WA-02), Brian Baird (D-WA-03), Norm Dicks (D-WA-06), Adam Smith (D-WA-09)

cc: Ambassador Robin Reneé Sanders, cc: Ambassador Oluwole Rotimi