13 Young Hostages Freed in Cameroon After Boko Haram Abduction

Thirteen young hostages, abducted on August 13 in Zigague, Cameroon, have been freed and returned to Maroua, the capital of the Far North Region, after a two-week ordeal believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram militants.

The hostages included 10 Cameroonian students and three Chadian nationals. They were rescued in a joint operation by the Cameroonian Armed Forces, the elite Brigade d’Intervention Rapide (BIR), gendarmerie units, and local safety committees.

“Eleven other hostages had been taken deep into Nigeria. But thanks to the joint effort of our armed forces, the BIR, gendarmerie, safety committees, and even the local population, everyone has played their part, and we have freed them,” said Midjiyawa Bakari, Governor of the Far North Region.

However, one hostage did not survive. 19-year-old Bryan Bessala was executed by the kidnappers after a ransom payment was not made in time. Despite the Cameroonian population raising nearly 6 million CFA francs within 24 hours, the money came too late to save him. Bessala had been abducted alongside his four siblings while returning from holiday.

In Yaoundé, his mother, Nga Annie, expressed relief at the safe return of her other children but pleaded with authorities to help her recover her eldest son’s body.
“For the one who is not here anymore, I am still asking the government to give me his body, which was not found, so that I can grieve him,” she said.

Authorities note that kidnappings linked to Boko Haram remain a persistent threat in the border areas of Logone-et-Chari, Mayo-Sava, and Mayo-Tsanaga, where residents live under increasing fear of abductions.

Source:Africanews

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