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Kidnapped Americans
in Africa
October 22, 2007
Children Kidnapped in Niger Delta
Sub-Saharan Africa - Nigeria
A security source
said the two are the children of employees of the French energy group,
Total, who were snatched on the way to school in Port Harcourt
January 27, 1999 · Jijiga, Ethiopia
An American who worked for a nongovernmental organization (NGO), the U.N. High Commission
for Refugees (UNHYCR) World Food Program) in the Somalia region was hijacked and held
hostage by Somali rebels. The American was in a restaurant with other NGO members. The
group left the restaurant together, but as the victim got into his Toyota Land Cruiser--he
had given his driver the night off--he was approached by two armed men who took his
vehicle and held him hostage. They drove to Galcaio, Somalia, arriving the next day. The
victim was sure that if he was not a Moslem, his captures would have killed him.
February 24, 1999 · Warri,
Nigeria
An American citizen working for Bristow Helicopter was kidnapped by a group of unidentified
armed men. The American was released unharmed on March 4, 1999, after a ransom was paid.
March 1, 1999 · Bwindi,
southwest Uganda
At approximately 6:30 a.m., some 100 plus ethnic Rwandan Hutu rebels overran the Bwindi
Impenetrable Game Reserve Camp and seized 30 Western tourists. The tourists were in Uganda
to track rare mountain gorillas. The rebels attempted to ascertain the tourists'
nationality. They appeared to be looking for English speakers. Before leaving the camp on
their trek back towards the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DROC), the
rebels took 14 hostages with them--mainly Britons and Americans. Along the 15-kilometer
trek back to the border with the DROC, the rebels killed eight of the tourists, and
ultimately released the remaining six tourists with a message that warned the West to stop
supporting the Rwandan Government. The foreign victims included two Americans, four
Britons, and two New Zealanders. Those released included one citizen each from the United
States, the United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, and Switzerland. The rebels
are believed to be members of the Interahamwe militia, which played an instrumental role
in the 1994 genocide of over 500,000 people in Rwanda.
If you have information, please contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or consulate, or write:
Rewards For Justice
P.O. Box 96781
Washington, DC 20090-6781 USA
email: mail@dssrewards.net
www.dssrewards.net
1-800-437-6371 (U.S.A. only)
March 9, 1999 · Warri Region,
Nigeria
An American citizen working for Dickson Nigeria, Ltd., was kidnaped from his office by
unidentified gunmen. He was released on March 9, 1999.
April 15, 1999 · Port
Harcourt, Nigeria
An American contracting as a employee with Chevron Oil was taken hostage along with a
Nigerian contractor with Modant Marine.They were kidnaped by unidentified individuals from
a small boat while in close proximity to the Robert Kiri facility, in the Port Harcourt
region. The Nigerian contractor was released unharmed on April 17, at a Shell flow station
in the area of Nembe, Bayelsa State. He reached Chevron’s Port Harcourt office on
April 19. The American was released unharmed on April 22, 1999.
June 6, 1999 · Kolauma
Village, Bayelsa State, Nigeria
Ijaw youth stormed a Texaco oil platform and kidnaped 48 Texaco employees. Among the
hostages were two Americans. The youth were upset about an ongoing dispute over the spill
of 12 barrels of crude oil last July. Texaco refused to pay ransom and the hostages were
released unharmed on June 13, 1999, with the understanding that Texaco officials would
meet with Bayelsa State authorities and Ijaw leaders to settle compensation issues.
June 27, 1999 · Port Harcourt,
Nigeria
At approximately 11 a.m., five armed Ijaw youth reportedly stormed the Shell oil platform
Enwhe and commandeered a Bristow helicopter to fly west towards Warri. The two pilots
aboard the helicopter were an Australian and an American. The captain (the American) of
the helicopter contacted another aircraft by radio to reveal that the captors identified
themselves as a group called Enough is Enough in the Delta and to relay the group’s
wish to speak with Shell officials. At approximately 3:20 p.m., the helicopter was located
in a village south-southeast of Warri. Shell managers were dispatched to the village where
they spoke with the two hostages and a representative of the group. The hostages were
released unharmed on July 16, 1999.
July 1, 1999 · Warri Region,
Nigeria
An American citizen, a contract employee with Shell, was kidnaped along with a British
citizen and five Nigerian staff. The kidnapers are members of the Oboro community. The
staff boarded a boat to inspect an oil spill near Aleibiri. When the inspection team was
in the vicinity of Bomadi, several Aleibiris warned the crew of Oboro plans to kidnap the
expatriate members of the crew. The vessel instead headed for Kpakaiama. However, armed
Oboros caught up with the vessel and took the seven men captive. Four contractors were
released the following day. The Oboros requested approximately $80,000 for the release of
the two expatriates and the Nigerian staff employee. On July 11, 1999, the American
captive was released unharmed by his captives. Shell maintains that the company did not
pay a ransom. The hostage release is reportedly the result of negotiations between the
Governor of Bayelsa State and the hostage takers. The British and Nigerian hostages were
released on July 12, 1999.
August 4, 1999 · Okra Hill,
Sierra Leone
Thirty-three members of a U.N. Observer Mission team in Sierra Leone were kidnaped by a
faction of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). The team included five British
military personnel, one Canadian, one Russian, and one American. The incident took place
at Okra Hills, about 40 miles east of the capital Freetown. The rebels demanded the
release of imprisoned AFRC leader John Paul Karoma. On August 5, 1999, the rebels released
one U.S. citizen and one Sierra Leone journalist. On August 10, 1999, U.N. officials
reported the release of all the remaining hostages.
August 10, 1999 · Niger-Delta
Region, Nigeria
Armed youths kidnapped three British nationals from a U.S.-operated platform. No one was
hurt in the attack, and no one claimed responsibility. On August 11, 1999, the hostages
were released unharmed.
November 1, 1999 · Bonny
Island, Nigeria
At approximately 9:30 a.m. local youth armed with axes and small arms boarded a vessel
displaying an American flag. The youths proceeded to axe through the sealed doors of the
main cabin that the staff was using as a safe haven. The American captain, an employee of
Tidewater Marine International, was kidnapped along with a Polish engineer and 12 Nigerian
crew members. None of the crew were injured. The youths did not voice any demands. Instead
of commencing negotiations, Tidewater management successfully sought a court injunction
against this and future acts of piracy, as well as a judicial order to release the boat.
Tidewater officials received a promise of assistance from the Port Harcourt naval
commander. The vessel and its crew were released unharmed on November 3, 1999. This was
the third seizure of Tidewater vessels in a week. Tidewater officials believe that the
same group held all three vessels.
November 8, 1999 · Delta
State, Nigeria
An American captain of an oil industry support boat, was taken hostage by members of the
Erunna-Ero community. The American, an employee of Tidewater Marine International, was
kidnapped along with a Nigerian crew member. According to Tidewater officials and crew
members aboard the vessel, 14 youths boarded the vessel Explorer Seahorse armed with
machetes. The youths boarded the vessel with the intention of using it as a means of
reaching the Lloyd Noble rig, located off-shore near Escravos, Delta State. The youths
were demanding payment for the commencing of the rig's operations on October 22, 1999.
Upon learning that an American captain was on board, they abandoned their initial plan and
instead, took the American and Nigerian hostage. The kidnapers released the vessel and
other crew members unharmed and took the two hostages into the Erunna-Ero village. The two
remaining hostages were released unharmed on November 12, 1999.
Source: State Department
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