5 abducted Borno officials freed

Five officials of the Borno State government kidnapped by suspected insurgents on their way to work in Damasak, Mobbar Local Government, have been freed on Saturday.

A source said the officials were “handed over to a negotiator,” at an undisclosed location before they were later taken to a military base in Maiduguri on Saturday.

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The officials had earlier in a video apparently released by their captors pleaded with the state government to come to their rescue.

The source said the kidnappers, suspected to be members of the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), had requested for hundreds of dollars in ransom.

Negotiation reportedly started hours after the incident but it was not clear yet, whether or not, ransom was paid before the release of the victims.

“Yes, I can confirm to you that the officials of ministry of the Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) abducted recently have been released. They were taken to Maiduguri from where they freed,” source said.