Cablegate: British Girl Released; 2 Expats Kidnapped Offshore

VZCZCXRO7062
RR RUEHMA RUEHPA
DE RUEHOS #0492 1901559
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 091559Z JUL 07
FM AMCONSUL LAGOS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9195
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RUEHUJA/AMEMBASSY ABUJA 8996
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO 0096
RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW 0455
RUEHCD/AMCONSUL CIUDAD JUAREZ 0434
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 0433
RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 0415
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH AFB UK
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RHMCSUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS LAGOS 000492

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - HANDLE ACCORDINGLY
SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W, INR/AA, DS/IP/AF, DS/ICI/PII, DS/DSS/OSAC
WARSAW FOR LISA PIASCIK
CIUDAD JUAREZ FOR DONNA BLAIR
ISTANBUL FOR TASHAWNA SMITH
SAO PAULO FOR ANDREW WITHERSPOON
OSLO FOR HELENA SCHRADER
DOE FOR GPERSON, CAROLYN GAY
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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL PTER NI
SUBJECT: BRITISH GIRL RELEASED; 2 EXPATS KIDNAPPED OFFSHORE
CROSS RIVER

REF: LAGOS 487

1. (SBU) On July 8, three-year-old British national Margaret
Hill was released near Ogbakiri, Rivers State, after being
abducted three days earlier in Port Harcourt (Reftel). No
further details are known regarding her release; however,
press reports suggest no ransom was paid to secure Hill's
release. Two New Zealand nationals, one Australian, one
Lebanese and one Venezuelan national kidnapped on July 4 in
Rivers State remain captives (Reftel).

2. (SBU) On July 8, one British national and one Bulgarian
national purportedly working for Expo Group, contracted to
Moni Pulo Ltd (an indigenous Nigerian oil exploration
company), were kidnapped off the shore of Cross River State
near Calabar. As of July 9, security sources could not
determine whether criminals or militants perpetrated this
kidnapping. (Note: This is the first known kidnapping
incident involving expatriates known to have occurred in
Cross River. End Note.)
MCCONNELL

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