Subscribe to Archivestuff Have your say The families of two New Zealand oil men kidnapped with three other foreigners in Nigeria have taken heart from a brief phone message saying the men are unharmed. An Australian man taken hostage with the Kiwis was allowed to use a cellphone to make the call after negotiators asked for proof they were still alive. Queenslander Jason Lane told his employer all the hostages, including Bruce Klenner, of New Plymouth, and Brent Goddard, from Wellington, were unhurt and in good spirits.
Prime Minister Helen Clark said yesterday she was satisfied oil giant Shell was doing everything possible to secure the men's release. "New Zealand consular officials are in regular contact with those who are directly involved in seeking to resolve the kidnapping," she said. "There is every reason to believe that the New Zealanders are alive and well, and we are satisfied those on the ground are doing everything to secure the men's release.
" The men were abducted from their drilling platform in the Niger Delta last Wednesday. The region has been at the centre of a long confrontation between the Nigerian Government, militants who have been fighting for a bigger share of the country's huge oil resources for locals, and armed gangs out to claim ransom money. Most have been freed unharmed, often after a ransom was paid.
Goddard's partner, Gilly Sannazzaro, said yesterday she took heart from Lane's message, but the gunmen had yet to make any demands for ransom. "They have had contact and they are OK, but there has been no progress (on freeing them)," she said. "They have spoken with Jason Lane, the hostage from Australia, and they are OK and in good spirits.
" Lane's father, Brian, told ABC News in Australia that his son had phoned the manager of American firm Lone Star Drilling, which was contracted to Shell. They're being fed and getting a good bed and no harm at all," Brian Lane said. "From what I can gather, it seems as if they're visitors, but there's always that element of danger there.
They're quite all right and Jason says hello to everybody." The news one of the men had made contact came as kidnappers yesterday released a three-year-old British girl, Margaret Hill, who was taken soon after the oil men. She was unharmed but hungry and covered in mosquito bites.
Sannazzaro said that gave her some confidence Goddard would also emerge unscathed. "When it is someone so young, my heart just goes out to them," she said. "But she was only held for a few days.
We are into our sixth day.
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