Boko Haram freed 200 hostages, according to several confirmed media sources. On January 23rd, the terrorist group Boko Haram released more than 200 hostages with most of them being women and children who were kidnapped in Nigeria few weeks ago.
It has been confirmed that Boko Haram freed 200 hostages over the weekend. According to a statement issued by a Nigerian military official and a community leader from the state of Yobe, on Friday, January 23rd, Boko Haram also known as Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’Awati Wal-Jihad, which translates into “People Committed to the Prophet’s Teachings for Propagation and Jihad,” freed a total of 192 people.
The nearly 200 hostages, which are mainly children and women, were kidnapped in Katarko, located 12 miles from the state capital Damaturu. On January 6, dozens of Boko Haram militants raided Katarko where they burned houses and businesses, kidnapped 218 women and children, and killed 25 men.
It is believed that the followers of Abubakar Shekau attacked the village in retaliation over a raid by local hunters and vigilantes in nearby Buni Yadi. During the raid, several of Boko Haram’s men were killed and unknown number was arrested.
Goni Mari, a Katarko community leader with knowledge on the “Boko Haram freed 200 hostages” story explained:
“Boko Haram have released 192 of our women they kidnapped early this month.”
Mari went on to add that members of the Islamist movement dropped the hostages in a village and the Nigerian government has been providing medical aid for them. He added:
“They brought them in two batches in four trucks and dropped them at Girbuwa village, eight kilometres from Damaturu, from where we conveyed them to the city and they were taken into government custody.”
On January 21st, a German teacher named Robert Nitsch Eberhard, was freed in Nigeria thanks to Cameroonian President Paul Biya who lead a special operation. Boko Haram kidnapped Eberhard in July of 2014 as he was teaching at a vocational school in Gombe, Adamawa state. Eberhard told the press upon his release:
“I am happy to see all these people around me, who have rescued me and made sure that I survived, because until the last minute, I did not know whether I would survive or I would not survive. It was for me a big problem. Because it was darkness, total darkness, and you see nobody around you. Then this is a big problem to say OK, I will survive or not survive.”
Boko Haram freed 200 hostages, but it is still holding countless others.
