WikiLeaks cables: Shell boasts it has infiltrated Nigerian government

[Joanne98]

Cables reveal executives' claims that oil firm 'knows everything' about key decisions

The oil giant Shell claimed it has inserted its staff into all key ministries of the Nigerian government, giving it access to politicians' every move in the oil-rich Niger Delta, according to a leaked US diplomatic cable.

The company's top executive in Nigeria told US diplomats that Shell had seconded employees to every relevant department and so knew "everything that was being done in those ministries". She boasted that the Nigerian government had "forgotten" about the extent of Shell's infiltration and were unaware of how much the company knew about its deliberations.

The cache of secret dispatches from Washington's embassies in Africa also revealed that the Anglo-Dutch oil firm swapped intelligence with the US, in one case providing US diplomats with the names of Nigerian politicians it suspected of supporting militant activity and requesting information from the US on whether the militants had acquired anti-aircraft missiles.

Other cables released tonightreveal:

• US diplomats fear that Kenya could erupt in violence worse than that experienced after the election in 2008 unless rampant government corruption is tackled.

• America asked Uganda to let it know if its army intended to commit war crimes based on US intelligence – but did not try to prevent war crimes taking place.

• Washington's ambassador to the troubled African state of Eritrea described its president, Isaias Afwerki, as a cruel "unhinged dictator" who's regime was "one bullet away from implosion".

The latest revelations came on a day that saw hackers sympathetic to WikiLeaks target Mastercard and Visa over their decision to block payments to the whistleblowers' website who's founder, Julian Assange, spent a second night in prison after a judge refused him bail ahead of an extradition hearing to face questioning over sexual assault charges in Sweden.

Campaigners tonight said the revelation about Shell in Nigeria demonstrate the tangled links between the oil firm and politicians in the country where, despite billions of dollars in oil revenue, 70% of people live below the poverty line.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/dec/08/wikileaks-cables-shell-nigeria-spying

[Newsjock]

1. Then this means that Shell supports the indictment of Dick Cheney?

Awesome.

[Joanne98]

3. Maybe It's Shell sending out all those emails. LOL

[abelenkpe]

2. Wow.

Oil companies have trying to manipulate officials in Ghana for decades as well, but they are understandably wary given what has gone on in Nigeria.