Two British hostages kidnapped several months ago are still alive and well, the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), the most prominent militant group operating in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta region, said in a statement reaching here on Sunday.
Some recent pictures of the hostages were attached in the statement, sent via e-mail with an alias of "Jomo Gbomo", Xinhua reported.
"To reassure the families of the two British hostages identified as Robin Barry Hughes and Matthew John Maguire that they are alive and well, MEND hereby releases their recent pictures," said the statement.
The statement also quoted the hostages' message to their families as saying that their plight "is caused by the insincere Nigerian government, greedy oil companies and the dumb Prime Minister of Great Britain Gordon Brown."
The two hostages were kidnapped off an oil vessel operating in Nigerian southern oil region in early September 2008, along with some of their colleagues, who were released by militants soon after the accident.
The MEND said in a statement dated back to early October 2008 that they kept holding British hostages because Britain supported Nigerian government to use forces against them.
Since the beginning of 2006, more than 200 foreigners have been kidnapped in Nigeria's restive Niger Delta region, most of whom being foreigner oil workers.