United for Peace of Pierce County, WA - We nonviolently oppose the reliance on unilateral military actions rather than cooperative diplomacy.

Four individuals from Seattle were accused of entering Nigeria illegally and taken into custody by the Nigerian military on Saturday, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer said Monday.[1] -- They are part of a film crew investigating the Nigerian oil industry, Donna Gordon Blankinship reported. -- Late Monday, "supporters in Seattle said a U.S. embassy representative had been allowed to visit the filmmakers where they were being held in Abuja." -- Those detained: "Sandi Cioffi, 46, director of the documentary 'Sweet Crude,' . . . Tammi Sims, 35, Cliff Worsham, 39, and Sean Porter, 25," together with "Joel Bisina, a peace mediator and founder of Niger Delta Professionals for Development in Warri." -- A message from Seattle activist Dave Gamrath on how you can assist efforts to have them released is reproduced below.[2] ...

SEATTLE COLLEAGUES SAY FILMMAKERS DETAINED IN NIGERIA KNEW DANGER
By Donna Gordon Blankinship

SEATTLE -- The Seattle film crew detained in Nigeria over the weekend was well aware of the potential danger of traveling in that country, a colleague who traveled with the group on two previous trips said Monday.

"You don't go into a region like that assuming there couldn't be problems. It's always a possibility," said Leslye Wood, spokeswoman for "Sweet Crude," a documentary about oil production in the Niger River delta.

Wood said she had not heard from the four Americans and a Nigerian man accompanying them since they were taken into custody by the Nigerian military on Saturday.

But in a news release late Monday afternoon, supporters in Seattle said a U.S. embassy representative had been allowed to visit the filmmakers where they were being held in Abuja.

Aaron Hellman, a spokesman for the Overseas Citizens Services, a division of the State Department, told supporters that the Americans were reportedly tired but in good health, the news release said.

Hellman said an embassy representative would return to check on them Tuesday but would not disclose any details about the Embassy's plan to help gain their release, the release said.

This was the film crew's fourth trip to the Niger delta during the past two and a half years, said Wood, who was on two of those trips.

She said the group has had no previous problems but was aware that Nigeria can be dangerous place. She emphasized that the film crew entered the country legally on April 5 and was transparent in its visa application, making it clear that they would be completing the filming of the documentary.

"It's a place that you become very educated about . . . you do your best to cover the contingencies," she said.

Wood said friends and family of the missing film crew were extremely concerned about the filmmakers' safety, especially since several other Western photographers and filmmakers have been detained over the past few years.

Various foreigners have been picked up in the Niger delta in recent months as security forces have stepped up efforts to quell unrest in the region. Several people, including two filmmakers working on a different documentary, were expelled from the country on alleged visa violations.

"We're urgently calling on the State Department to intervene. We're working on many fronts to try to get that to happen and that's where our attention is right now," Wood said.

Sandi Cioffi, 46, director of the documentary "Sweet Crude," has produced and/or directed several films, including "Crocodile Tears," about an HIV-positive man who makes a deal with the devil, and "Terminal 187," a half-hour drama on teen violence.

She also traveled to South Africa to film that country's transition from apartheid in 1995.

Tammi Sims, 35, Cliff Worsham, 39, and Sean Porter, 25, make up the rest of the crew detained in Nigeria. Joel Bisina, a peace mediator and founder of Niger Delta Professionals for Development in Warri, was traveling with them.

"We're anxious to get news that they are safe and well and hoping to hear some good news very soon," Wood said.

Sandi Cioffi and Tammi Sims, who both spoke at our February inSPIRe social about their documentary "Sweet Crude," a film about the crisis in Nigeria surrounding oil, environmental degradation, poverty, corruption, and rebellion, were detained by the Nigerian Military on Saturday, April 12, and remain in detention today, Monday. This story has been reported throughout the world. I called the spokeswoman today for "Sweet Crude," Leslye Wood, for the latest status. Leslye indicated efforts are being made through multiple channels to expedite Sandi, Tammi, and their crew's release.

I called Senator Cantwell and Murray's offices, and they indicated they have sent a joint letter to the embassy demanding their release. As of 4:00 p.m., they did not have more information to release.

I also called Congressman Jim McDermott's office. They expressed hope Sandi, Tammi, and crew would be released by tomorrow. If they are not, they indicated McDermott would send a letter to the president of Nigeria on Wednesday demanding their release.

Please contact the offices of our elected officials and thank them for acting so quickly on this, as well as asking them to keep up maximum pressure until Sandi and team are freed.

Also, if you want to send a message to Sandi expressing your thoughts and concerns, below is her contact info: