Nigerian kidnappers demand money for British girl

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria, July 6 (Reuters) The family of a three-year British girl abducted in Nigeria began negotiating her release today with kidnappers who have threatened to kill her unless their ransom demands are met.

The toddler, Margaret Hill, was snatched yesterday morning from the car in which she was being driven to school in Port Harcourt in the oil-producing Niger Delta.

Abductions for ransom are extremely frequent in the Niger Delta -- although children have rarely been targeted -- and in several past cases kidnappers have threatened to kill hostages.

But no such threat has been carried out and hostages are usually released unharmed in exchange for money.

The girl's mother, Oluchi Hill, said in the latest of several phone calls with the kidnappers, one had demanded money although the line had cut off before he specified an amount.

Speaking by telephone from her home in Port Harcourt, she said she had been allowed to talk to her daughter briefly.

''She was crying. She said they gave her only water. She wants to come back,'' Oluchi Hill said, crying as she spoke.

''He said he doesn't care about killing and burying the baby,'' she said.

While Hill was talking to Reuters on the telephone, agents from the State Security Services (SSS) arrived at her home to help her negotiate the girl's release. She said she was leaving with the SSS men immediately to start the process.

BAR ATTACKED Later, the parents issued a statement through the Foreign Office in London asking media to let them work with others to try to quickly bring their daughter back safely.

''You are well aware of the effects that this terrible situation will be having on us as a family,'' the statement said.

The father, Mike Hill, is a British consultant who works in oil and gas and has lived in Port Harcourt for many years.

Oluchi Hill, who is Nigerian, runs Goodfellas, a popular bar located in the relatively upscale GRA neighbourhood of the city.

Goodfellas was attacked in August 2006 by armed men who kidnapped several expatriates. Hill had the bullet holes in the ceiling of the bar painted over, but business slowed.

About 200 adult expatriates have been kidnapped in the Niger Delta since the start of 2006 and 15 are still being held by various armed groups. Most abductions are for ransom, although a few have been politically motivated.

The abduction of Margaret Hill is the third child kidnapping this year, according to local media.

Nigerian newspapers reported last month that the 3-year-old son of a member of the Rivers state House of Assembly was kidnapped and handed back to the family unharmed in exchange for money. There were also reports earlier in the year of another child abduction for ransom.

Britain advised all its nationals on June 8 to leave three core states in the Niger Delta because of rising insecurity, including Rivers state, where Port Harcourt is located.

REUTERS RKM BST2100