American in Nigeria Held Without Bail

Judith Asuni, an American charity worker who has lived in Nigeria for more than three decades, was arrested Sept. 26 with two German filmmakers and one Nigerian man after the Germans filmed oil installations in the lawless Niger Delta, court papers showed.

The two Germans, Alexander Orpitz and Andy Lehman, were granted bail on Friday. But Asuni, believed to be in her 60s, and the Nigerian man, Danjuma Saidu, have been kept in detention and were denied bail again Monday by a judge in the capital, Abuja. The defendants, who have pleaded innocent to the charges, face at least seven years in prison if convicted.

Prosecutor Saliu Aliu said in court Monday that he had documents showing Asuni, who is married to a Nigerian, was a security risk, but the contents weren't released. Reached by telephone Tuesday, Aliu refused comment on the documents, citing security regulations, and said it was the court's decision to grant only the Germans bail. The U.S. Embassy is expressing concern at the detention of Asuni, who runs a non-governmental organization that seeks to promote peace in the Niger Delta, where competition for oil riches has sparked violence.

"Dr. Asuni is an aid worker and longtime resident of Nigeria who is recognized for her efforts to promote understanding, conflict management, transparency, and sustainable development in the Niger Delta," the embassy said in a recent statement.

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