Wirral family await return of diver Matthew Maguire held hostage by Nigerian pirates

Jun 15 2009 By Vicki Kellaway

His anxious family was hoping he would arrive back in Merseyside today – but fear the debriefing and health checks could delay his departure.

Mr Maguire’s partner Emma Dean said: "We’ve just all had enough now. When he called me the first time he said he was with the JTF [Nigerian Joint Task Force] but he didn’t have time to give me any details.

"We know he had to be checked out and debriefed before he could come home but I just want him back here now.

"I won’t believe he is safe until he’s here, in our living room."

Ms Dean told of her elation at hearing Mr Maguire was free followed by the agonising wait for him to be reunited with her and children Ellie, 11, Charlie, nine, and Matthew, three.

She added: "I was just sitting there with the children and the phone went and it was Matthew.

"I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a prank call. I was screaming down the phone at him, I was so excited.

"The line was really bad and he didn’t have much time. But he said he was fine and he was on his way home."

Mr Maguire was with 27 other oil workers when he was kidnapped on his way to work just hours after he arrived in the country.

His family endured months of hell awaiting his release with little contact apart from the odd letter and photograph released by his suspected captors, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.

The group hoped to pressurise the British government to stop training Nigerian troops.

They also wanted medical treatment for their suspected leader, Henry Okah, who is being held on gun running and treason charges.