Gunmen free Nigerian chief's son

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The two-year-old son of a Nigerian chief has been freed a day after being kidnapped by gunmen in the oil capital, Port Harcourt.

Samuel Amadi, son of Iriebe Chief Eze Francis Amadi, was seized as he was being driven to school.

"He is in good health, but he'll have to undergo a medical examination," Chief Amadi told the BBC News website.

The release comes as militants from the oil-producing region continue their first talks with the new government.

Two prominent militant leaders have disowned kidnappings as part of their struggle for more oil wealth.

The talks are being held in the port city of Calabar, away from the centre of the violence in the region.

Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan is meeting representatives of six different groups.

Struggle

The gunmen holding Samuel Amadi had reportedly demanded a ransom of 50m naira ($393,000) to release him but Chief Amadi denied paying any money.

He said his son had been taken to his palace by security agents.

<a class="" href="/1/hi/world/africa/6274416.stm">Nigeria's lawless oil city</a> "You cannot believe how relieved we all are," he said.

This follows the release of a British three-year-old girl on Sunday, after four days in captivity.

Margaret Hill's family denied paying a ransom to secure her release.

Mr Jonathan, who is from the Niger Delta, was sworn in along with President Umaru Yar'Adua in May, with the president promising to bring peace to the region.

After meeting Mr Jonathan in Abuja, militant leader Mujahid Dokubo-Asari said he would try to end violence in the Niger Delta.

"Abductions are not part of our struggle," Mr Dokubo-Asari said.

Most Niger Delta residents live in poverty despite the oil wealth of their region.

The militants want a greater share of the profits to remain in local hands.

Some criminal gangs have also taken to kidnapping, as ransoms are often paid, although this is always officially denied.

Attacks on oil facilities and the kidnapping of oil workers have cut Nigeria's oil output by 25%.