Nigeria’s main militant group in its oil-rich southern delta has released a list of hostage names taken from an offshore oil rig.
In an e-mailed communique Friday morning, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta identified the seven men taken during the attack Monday on a rig operating for London-based Afren PLC.
The group identified three men — two from the U.S. and one from France — as working for offshore contractor Transocean Ltd. The message said the two Indonesians came from a nearby support ship operated by Century Energy Services, one Frenchmen came from Sodexo and a Canadian came from contractor PPI.
An Afren spokesman could not be immediately reached for comment.
MEND Statement:
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (M.E.N.D)
On November 7th, 2010, fighters of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (M.E.N.D) attacked the Shallow-water okoro oilfield in Akwa Ibom state of the Niger Delta.
Our fighters reported stiff resistance from the Nigerian military stationed at this facility.
After an intense fire fight, the resistance from the Nigerian military was subdued.
Our fighters cost extensive damage on this facility and attempted to set it ablaze as they were instructed to do.
In the course of the same attack, the under listed were captured.
Name Employer Nationality
1 James Robertson Transocean USA
2 Jeffrey James Transocean USA
3 Patrick Weber Transocean FRANCE
4 Mignon Gilles Sodexo FRANCE
5 Robert Croke PPI CANADA
6 Robert Tampubolon Century Energy Services INDONESIA
Ltd (Century Bumi JV)
7 Permana Nugraha Century Energy Services INDONESIA
Ltd (Century Bumi JV)
As earlier reported, we took custody of 3 French nationals and 1 Thai national abducted about 2 months ago by a militia group in the Niger Delta. Owing to their generally poor state of health, we were compelled to release them on humanitarian grounds.
The abduction of the 7 expatriates from the Shallow-water okoro oilfield in Akwa Ibom state was to prevent the Nigerian government from denying the attack on this facility.
The 7 individuals are all in good health and will be in our custody for a while.
Jomo Gbomo