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Margaret Hill's Kidnapping...
At 6:20am (GMT) on Thursday 5th July 07, within half a mile from her school, while in heavy morning traffic, Margaret Hill was kidnapped. Masked gunman blocked the car, and reportedly fired rounds into the air to scare away onlookers. 5 Niger Delta kidnappers, 3 of which held automatic weapons. The kidnappers first attempted to open the doors, but they were locked. Using their weapons they smashed the window and snatched Margaret. They had also stabbed the vehicle's driver in the arm. The gunmen fled in a vehicle believed to be a Peugeot. The UK's Foreign Office called for the "immediate safe release" of the girl and has advised that all Britons leave the region.
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the kidnapping, but the father has said, "The people who have taken her are in contact with my wife," They told her that they would hand Margaret back in exchange for her father. They demanded a meeting in a town in the Niger Delta. They then briefly allowed her to speak to her daughter, who was crying. They told told Mrs Hill to meet them in a town in Bayelsa State. They threatened to kill Margaret if Mr Hill did not come within three hours. Mrs Hill said, "He wanted to go down for his baby but the police commander told him not to."
The girl's father, Michael Hill, is a British (Newcastle) expatriate resident, an operations director for US firm Lone Star, who has lived in Nigeria for the past ten years. He also runs a local bar called Goodfellas. Her mother, Oluchi Hill, is believed to be a Nigerian national. Port Harcourt is the country's oil capital where up to 200 foreigners have been taken hostage in the last two years. 6 July 07 The kidnappers have been in contact with the parents. Mrs Hill says "The people who are holding her just called again and they were threatening to kill the baby," .. "They accused me of trying to play games with them," .."They said they had given her only water and bread this morning." 8 July 07 evening Margaret Hill has returned home, hungry and covered in mosquito bites, but unharmed, No ransom was paid. The father said, "She was released due to the pressure put on the people by the security services of Nigeria." He added that the little girl was covered head to foot in mosquito bites and that they planned for her to see a doctor today to be checked out. Little Margaret said she was in the bush, in some sort of hut. The kidnappers had targeted his wife and repeatedly phoned her because they believed she was the "weakest link", Mr Hill added.
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The 3 year old girl, Margaret Hill was passenger in the back seat of a Isuzu Jeep driven by a Nigerian driver, on the way to School (Educare International Daycare) in Port Harcourt.
A spokesman said: "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."
This is the 3rd kidnapping of this type this week. Each have been released after ransom payments were made.