MILITANTS CONTINUE TO HOLD HOSTAGES; NO AMERICANS

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001263 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR SLISER STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD STATE PASS OPIC FOR ZHAN AND MSTUCKART STATE PASS TDA FOR NCABOT STATE PASS EXIM FOR JRICHTER STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2016 TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER CASC NI SUBJECT: MILITANTS CONTINUE TO HOLD HOSTAGES; NO AMERICANS INVOLVED REF: LAGOS 1254 Classified By: Consul General Brian Browne for Reasons 1.4 (D,E) ¶1. (U) Summary: Seven expatriate employees of contractors for ExxonMobil kidnapped October 3 remain in captivity. No American citizens are involved in the incident. End Summary. ¶2. (C) The seven expatriates kidnapped on October 3 remain in captivity. The hostages, whose nationalities have now been confirmed, include four citizens from the United Kingdom, one from Malaysia, one from Romania and one from Indonesia. We do not know whether the hostages remain in Akwa Ibom State or have been moved elsewhere. There has been no definitive proof of life regarding the hostages. ¶3. (C) Representatives of ExxonMobil and its contractors Sparrow, Bristow Helicopters, Oceaneering and a fourth company, met October 5 to discuss crisis management. The group will channel all communications with the militants through a single ExxonMobil interlocutor, who in turn will communicate with the Governor's designee, the Director of the Special Security Service (SSS) in Akwa Ibom. ExxonMobil has retained Controlled Risk Group (CRG) (strictly protect) as their consultant during the crisis. The consultant asked that all members of the group agree not to mention his name, or the fact that CRG is involved, outside of the group; all participants agreed. ¶4. (C) There were press reports of GON military activity in Rivers State in reaction to the militant attack in that state claimed the lives of several military personnel earlier this week. We have heard no reports of military activity in Akwa Ibom State. Along with ExxonMobil, we are concerned that reports of any increased military activity anywhere in the Niger Delta could complicate the hostage situation. BROWNE