On Thursday July 5th, Margaret Hill, the three year old daughter of an expatriate worker was kidnapped by gun men in the Niger Delta. Hill was seized on her way to school in Port Harcout. Her kidnapping follows that of five oil workers who were captured on Wednesday. Hill is the third child to be kidnapped by Nigerian militants in the past three weeks, as militants have been targeting children of wealthy oil workers and Nigerian state legislators. The first two children that were captured were set free unharmed after ransom payments were paid on their behalf.
UK’s Foreign Office has called for the “immediate safe release” of young Hill. A spokesman for the office stated, “We do not know who took her. We are in contact with her parents and are providing assistance. High Commission officials are in contact with the Nigerian authorities.”
The kidnappers contacted Mrs. Hill and allowed her to speak to her baby. Mrs Hill reported that the kidnappers arranged a meeting in a town in Bayelsa State in the Niger Delta region to allow for her husband to swap positions with the baby. The kidnappers gave the Hills three hours to arrive or young Hill would be killed. However, the police have not been able to identify the perpetrators or find the place of meeting.
Presently, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (Mend), which is the region’s most prominent military group has offered to help find the girl. The group wrote in an email sent to the Associated Press that “We will join in the hunt for the monsters who carried out this abduction and mete out adequate punishment for this crime – We abhor all forms of violence against women and children.” Moreover, according to Mrs. Hill, the gun men have demanded money and talks will ensue in order to secure the release of the young child.
For more information, please see:
BBC – Threat to Kill Missing UK Girl – 06 July 2007
CNN – Girl’s Kidnapper’s Demand Money – 06 July 2007
BBC – Three Year Old Seized in Nigeria – 05 July 2007
