Nigerian militants: British hostage to be freed after nearly 9 months in captivity

Nigerian militants to free British hostage

LAGOS, Nigeria — Nigeria’s main militant group says it hopes to release within hours a British hostage seized nearly nine months ago in the country’s restive southern oil region.

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta said in an e-mail on Monday that it hoped to release Matthew Maguire shortly in honor of the captive’s birthday.

Maguire was among 27 oil workers kidnapped by militants when their vessel was hijacked in early September. All other hostages taken in that incident have been released.

The British High Commission in Nigeria couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.