MEND to release Briton in 24 hours

The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) has, once again, announced a date for the release of its last British hostage. The group said Mathew Maguire will be reunited with his family within the next 24 hours.

A statement sent to NEXT by the spokesperson for the group, Jomo Gbomo, also showed that Mr. Maguire has been conferred with a special status by the militant group.

“Special Envoy and Advocate for Change, Mr. Matthew Maguire will be leaving the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) to reunite with his family within the next 24 hours,” Gbomo said. “We want to dispel any impression that he is being kept back to serve as a human shield with the approach of Hurricane Piper Alpha. Matthew’s fate will continue to be tied to that of Henry Okah in the spirit.”

MEND initially gave a June 1 date for the release of Mr. Maguire, but it later claimed the date was no longer feasible because the detainee declined to be freed before Mr. Okah, held by the federal government on gun-running and treason charges, was released.

Advocate for change

Efforts to speak with Mr. Maguire by NEXT did not succeed as MEND failed to send a workable number with which we could reach the hostage, as earlier promised.

MEND, in a June 1 statement signed by Mr. Gbomo, said Mr. Maguire, who has spent nine months in captivity, “declined the gift of a release from captivity with an argument that he is now an advocate for change in the region and a honorary member of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND).”

Mr. Maguire, who works for Adamac Industries Ltd, was kidnapped in September last year along with a colleague of his, when the armed convoy they were travelling in was attacked in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

At the time of the kidnap, MEND had said he would not be freed unless Mr. Okah, its leader, was released from custody by the Nigerian government.

In January, the group had promised to hold on to its British hostages for a long time.

Mr. Gbomo had said: “We intend to hold on to [the Britons] for as long as a very sick and dying Henry Okah is held hostage by the Nigerian state. Since their fate is now tied to his, God forbid that Henry Okah should die in detention.”

The other Briton seized with Mr. Maguire, Robin Barry Hughes, was set free by the militants in April because of his ill-health.

MEND has previously used the British hostages to warn the British government against offering any training or equipment to the Nigerian armed forces.