HOSTAGES ENTER THIRD WEEK IN CAPTIVITY; NO

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 001294

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: 10/06/2016
TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER CASC NI
SUBJECT: HOSTAGES ENTER THIRD WEEK IN CAPTIVITY; NO
AMERICANS INVOLVED

REF: LAGOS 1279

Classified By: Consul General Brian Browne for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Summary: The seven employees of ExxonMobil
subcontractors captured in Akwa Ibom on October 3 began their
third week in captivity. British and American diplomats are
urging the state and federal authorities to allow
humanitarian supplies to be delivered to the hostages before
the long Eid-Al-Fitr weekend. There are no Americans
involved. End summary.


2. (C) Seven employees of ExxonMobil contractors captured in
Akwa Ibom on October 3 remain in captivity. Negotiations
continue between the Federal Government's negotiator, a
senior officer with the Special Security Services (SSS) and
the kidnappers, who are presumably locals from the Eket area.
However, talks have thus far been desultory. The ExxonMobil
coordinating group, composed of representatives of ExxonMobil
and its contractors, in its October 17 daily meeting asked us
and the British to urge the Federal Government and Akwa Ibom
Governor Victor Attah to persuade the kidnappers to allow the
delivery of humanitarian supplies to the hostages. The group
discussed the importance of pushing for delivery of the
supplies in advance of the four-day weekend that includes the
Eid-Al-Fitr holiday on October 23-24.


3. (C) Efforts are ongoing to have only one channel of
communication between the kidnappers and the Government. The
ExxonMobil coordinating group has provided family members
with the cellphone numbers used by the kidnappers, and urged
them not to take calls from those numbers. Nonetheless,
calls from the kidnappers or the hostages to family members
have taken place. One spouse who has not yet received a
call or other information about her husband has asked the
coordinating group to attempt to obtain recent proof of her
husband's life.


4. (C) Comment: Concern is rising about the welfare of the
hostages. Although there are no U.S. hostages involved in
this incident, Lagos Consul General will join the diplomatic
effort to urge swift government action on humanitarian
supplies.
BROWNE