Nigerian kidnappers free girl

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Margaret Hill was snatched on Thursday morning as she travelled to school by car in Port Harcourt, in the south of the country.

Her mother Oluchi Hill received a call from the kidnappers hours later saying they would kill the girl unless her father, Mike Hill, agreed to swap places with his daughter.

Police advised him against the swap.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband said he was "delighted" the little girl had been released and thanked those who worked to secure her freedom.

"I was delighted and relieved to hear of Margaret's release just now. I am grateful to the Nigerian authorities for all their help and I hope the perpetrators will be swiftly brought to justice.

"Foreign Office consular staff in Nigeria have been working closely with the NGA authorities throughout, and of course Margaret Hill's family, and will continue to provide consular support as required," he said.

Police and diplomats had been frantically working to bring about Margaret's safe release since she disappeared on Thursday.

Mr Hill, originally from Murton in County Durham, has lived in Nigeria for around 10 years. He works in the energy industry and also runs a popular nightspot in Port Harcourt, the country's main oil centre.

Kidnappings have become an almost weekly occurrence in the south of the country, where many foreign oil workers are based.