NIGER DELTA: 1 ITALIAN, 5 CHINESE RELEASED

C O N F I D E N T I A L LAGOS 000033 SIPDIS SIPDIS DOE FOR GPERSON, CGAY TREASURY FOR ASEVERENS, SRENENDER, DFIELDS COMMERCE FOR KBURRESS STATE PASS USTR FOR ASST USTR FLISER 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 STATE PASS DS/IP/AF, DS/IP/ITA, DS/ICI/PII E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2017 TAGS: EPET ENERG ASEC PTER CASC NI SUBJECT: NIGER DELTA: 1 ITALIAN, 5 CHINESE RELEASED REF: LAGOS 20 Classified By: Consul Alan Latimer for Reasons 1.4 (B,D) ¶1. (C) Italian Consul General Maurizio Bungaro confirmed the January 17 release of Italian Agip employee Roberto Dieghi after 41 days in captivity. One Lebanese and two Italian employees of Agip remain in captivity. According to security sources, Dieghi was released because he was in poor health. Consul General Bungaro told Poloff on January 18 Dieghi's condition is "not so bad" and that Dieghi will continue resting at Agip's company hospital in Port Harcourt before returning to Italy. According to Bungaro, Dieghi said the three remaining hostages are psychologically frustrated but physically unharmed. (Reftel) ¶2. (U) Security sources report the five Chinese telecommunication workers kidnapped on January 5 were released on January 17. Post has no further details at this time. BROWNE