AFT MEMBER SANDY CIOFFI, a documentary filmmaker and professor at Seattle Central Community College, was released April 16 by Nigerian police after being detained for four days.

Her release followed a barrage of appeals to Nigerian officials, including hundreds of letters from her AFT Seattle colleagues to Nigerian authorities, the American embassy and the U.S. State Department, as well as letters to Nigerian president Umaru Musa Yar'Adua from AFT president Edward J. McElroy and from 14 members of Congress.

AFT Seattle president Lynne Dodson had particular words of praise for U.S. Sens. Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray, who rapidly intervened to ensure the safety of Cioffi, a former vice president of AFT Seattle.

Cioffi and three colleagues were working on a documentary called "Sweet Crude Movie" about oil production in the Niger Delta region. They were detained by Nigerian security forces on April 12 for reportedly violating a ban against outsiders traveling without a military escort to the area, which is the site of frequent militant attacks against oil installations.

According to Cioffi's filmmaking company, the Americans entered Nigeria legally on April 5 and had notified authorities about their intentions to film and to visit a library they had helped build.

Dodson also praised the fantastic rallying of the union, college and Seattle community for colleagues in peril. "It is amazing how this terrifying, horrible event did bring people together."