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Cameroon’s President Paul Biya said on Friday night that
27 hostages, including 10 Chinese workers, held by
suspected Boko Haram insurgents had been released.
Also freed was the wife of Cameroon’s Vice-Prime
Minister, Amadou Ali, the British Broadcasting Corporation
reported.
President Biya, in a statement on the state radio, said the
hostages, seized close to the Nigeria border in May and
July, were safe.
Boko Haram is seeking to establish an Islamist state in
Nigeria but its fighters often cross the long and porous
border with Cameroon.
Many Nigerian civilians in border towns have fled to
Cameroon to escape Boko Haram attacks, which have been
stepped up in recent months.
In July, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger agreed to form a
2,800-strong regional force to tackle the Boko Haram
insurgents.
Cameroon has reinforced its troops in its northern regions.
Biya said in the state radio broadcast, “The 27 hostages
kidnapped on May 16, 2014, at Waza and on July 27, 2014,
at Kolofata were given this night to Cameroonian
authorities.
“Ten Chinese, the wife of the Vice Prime Minister Amadou
Ali, the Lamido (a local religious leader) of Kolofata, and
the members of their families kidnapped with them are
safe.”
27 hostages, including 10 Chinese workers, held by
suspected Boko Haram insurgents had been released.
Also freed was the wife of Cameroon’s Vice-Prime
Minister, Amadou Ali, the British Broadcasting Corporation
reported.
President Biya, in a statement on the state radio, said the
hostages, seized close to the Nigeria border in May and
July, were safe.
Boko Haram is seeking to establish an Islamist state in
Nigeria but its fighters often cross the long and porous
border with Cameroon.
Many Nigerian civilians in border towns have fled to
Cameroon to escape Boko Haram attacks, which have been
stepped up in recent months.
In July, Cameroon, Nigeria, Chad and Niger agreed to form a
2,800-strong regional force to tackle the Boko Haram
insurgents.
Cameroon has reinforced its troops in its northern regions.
Biya said in the state radio broadcast, “The 27 hostages
kidnapped on May 16, 2014, at Waza and on July 27, 2014,
at Kolofata were given this night to Cameroonian
authorities.
“Ten Chinese, the wife of the Vice Prime Minister Amadou
Ali, the Lamido (a local religious leader) of Kolofata, and
the members of their families kidnapped with them are
safe.”
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