British hostage freed in Nigeria

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Robin Barry Hughes from St Margaret's Bay, Kent, was among 27 oil workers kidnapped by militants when their vessel was hijacked on September 9.

Mr Hughes, was handed over to military officials in Nigeria's southern oil region, the military official, Sarkin Bello said.

Mr Bello said he had no information on Mr Hughes' condition or if a ransom had been paid to secure his release.

There was no mention of a second British hostage, Matthew Maguire, who is still believed to be in captivity.

Earlier, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in an e-mail that Mr Hughes would be freed very soon.

The group had said it was putting safety measures in place for Mr Hughes's release.

Most of the other hostages kidnapped alongside Mr Hughes were released after their initial capture. But Mr Hughes and Mr Maguire, from Birkenhead, Merseyside, had remained captive ever since.

In January the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta released "recent" pictures of Mr Hughes and Mr Maguire who were shown wearing shorts and flip-flops, looking dishevelled but not injured, in what appeared to be a thick forest.

The group said they would not be released until the Nigerian government freed the group's leader, Henry Okah, who is currently being tried on charges of arms trafficking.