60 SHELL HOSTAGES RELEASED, 7 EXPATS STILL HELD IN

UNCLAS LAGOS 001278 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: N/A TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER CASC NI SUBJECT: 60 SHELL HOSTAGES RELEASED, 7 EXPATS STILL HELD IN AKWA IBOM REF: LAGOS 1272 ¶1. The seven expatriate employees of ExxonMobil contractors kidnapped October 3 in Akwa Ibom remain hostages; no American citizens are involved in this incident. On October 12 the British Deputy High Commission confirmed that all 60 oil workers taken hostage October 10 at a Shell logistics base in Bayelsa State were released. (Note: It has been confirmed that 60 individuals, not 10-20 as previously reported (ref), were held at a Shell facility adjacent to a small naval base, both of which were attacked by youths on October 10. End Note.) No Americans were involved in this incident. BROWNE