Read Sweet Crude crew statement

On April 12, 2008, members of the Sweet Crude filmmaking crew were detained by the Nigerian military Joint Task Force (JTF) while traveling by boat in the Niger Delta.

Seattle-based Director Sandy Cioffi, Producer Tammi Sims, and photojournalists Sean Porter and Cliff Worsham, along with Nigerian-American Joel Bisina, were taken into custody and subsequently handed over to the Nigerian State Security Services.

They were held for seven days without being charged and without access to legal counsel. They were released Friday, April 18.

U.S. lawmakers; a broad coalition of colleagues, family and friends; and many international individuals and organizations worked tirelessly with the U.S. State Department and the Nigerian government to secure their release.

Read press releases:
American film crew detained in Niger Delta
Update: American Documentary Filmmakers Detained in Niger Delta
U.S. Lawmakers Call on Nigerian President to Release Detained Filmmakers

Read letter from U.S. Congress members to Nigerian President Yar’Adua

In a small corner of the most populous country in Africa, billions of dollars of crude oil flow under the feet of a desperate people. Immense wealth and abject poverty stand in stark contrast. The environment is decimated. The issues are complex, the answers elusive.

Sweet Crude, a documentary now in post-production, tells the story of Nigeria’s Niger Delta. The region is seething and the global stakes are high. But in this moment, there’s an opportunity to find solutions. What if the world paid attention before it was too late?