NIGERIA: HOSTAGE-TAKING, SITREP # 33 - HOSTAGES

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000451

SIPDIS

NOFORN
SIPDIS

STATE PASS DOE FOR DAS JBRODMAN AND CGAY
TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS AND SRENENDER
COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS
STATE PASS TRANSPORTATION FOR MARAD
STATE PASS USAID FOR GWEYNAND AND SLAWAETZ
STATE FOR DS/IP/AF, AF/EX, DS/IP/OPO, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/ITA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2016
TAGS: EPET PGOV ASEC PTER CASC NI HOSTAGES
SUBJECT: NIGERIA: HOSTAGE-TAKING, SITREP # 33 - HOSTAGES
RELEASED

REF: LAGOS 438

Classified By: Consul General Brian L. Browne for reasons 1.4 (D/E).


1. (C) The remaining three Willbros and Control Risk Group
hostages were released early this morning, and are in good
physical condition according to preliminary medical
examination. The trio are currently in Lagos. AmCits Cody
Oswalt and Russell Spell will be departing Nigeria tonight
for the United States. UK national John Hudspith will leave
tomorrow.


2. (C) After their release, the hostages were taken to the
State Security Service headquarters in Warri for a debrief
which lasted roughly one hour. A formal release ceremony and
press briefing at the Governor's Warri compound followed.
The briefing concluded at approximately 5:00 a.m. The Consul
General, FEST officers and Conoff have seen and spoken with
the former hostages, who were medically examined by a doctor
at the Shell clinic in Warri this morning. All three former
hostages have contacted their families.


3. (C) A Shell plane transported the hostages, accompanied
by FEST officers and Conoff, from Warri to Lagos at
approximately 11:10 am local time. They were transported to
the Willbros compound, where they will rest prior to their
flights home tonight. Legatt is conducting a limited debrief
of the former hostages at the Willbros compound.


4. (C/NF) According to one of the hostages, the kidnappers
said they were being released as a sign of good will in the
lead up to a purported March 29 meeting with the GON about
conditions in the Niger Delta.


5. (SBU) Current plans called for Cody Oswalt and Russell
Spell to transit Paris to Houston. Given the possibility of
an airline strike in Paris tomorrow that could delay flights
up to 2 days, Willbros is currently working on an alternate
plan. We will update the Department and transit country
Embassies once the rerouting has been finalized.
BROWNE