Cameroon said Wednesday its forces have freed a German hostage kidnapped
six months ago in Nigeria by Boko Haram, as African leaders appealed to the
United Nations for support in fighting the Islamist militants.
“A special operation led by Cameroonian armed forces along with security services of
friendly nations succeeded this night (Tuesday) in freeing Nitsch Eberhard Robert, a
German citizen abducted in Nigeria in July 2014 by the Boko Haram sect,” the
Cameroon presidency said in a statement.
A spokesman for the German foreign ministry confirmed the man’s release, adding
that he was now in Cameroon’s capital Yaounde.
No further details were immediately available about the hostage or the raid itself,
including where it took place.
The release was announced a day after Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau
mocked African leaders who were meeting in Niger to try to forge a united front
against the Islamists.
“African kings… I challenge you to attack me now. I am ready.”
Boko Haram — which has been waging a brutal insurgency in Nigeria since 2009 —
previously abducted foreigners in Nigeria and Cameroon, but all have since been
released.
However, more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by the militants in April last year in one
of the most shocking acts of their insurgency are still missing.
As news of the German’s rescue emerged, the African Union announced it has asked
the Security Council to approve a mandate for a regional force and a fund to help
finance it.
“Boko Haram is a threat not only to Nigeria and the region, but also to the continent
as a whole,” AU head Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said in a statement.
Nigeria’s army has come under fire repeatedly for failing to crush the militants, whose
insurgency has left 13,000 people dead and forced 1.5 million from their homes.
Boko Haram has also been stepping up attacks in Nigeria and neighbouring
Cameroon, where it abducted dozens of people Sunday.
Niger said Wednesday the headquarters of the regional African force set up to fight
Boko Haram will now be transferred to Chad after its base in the Nigerian border town
of Baga was overrun earlier this month by the Islamist militants.
– Regional efforts hamstrung –
Chad is seen as having the most capable military in the region and at the weekend
sent a convoy of troops and 400 military vehicles into neighbouring Cameroon to
battle Boko Haram.
Two Cameroonian soldiers were wounded in heavy clashes Tuesday with Boko Haram
in the far north of Cameroon, which borders Nigeria.
“We managed to repel the enemy,” a Cameroonian military commander told AFP on
condition of anonymity. “We saw signs that made us think Boko Haram lost men.”
Regional efforts to fight Boko Haram have been hampered by Nigeria’s reticence, with
Abuja looking suspiciously on any foreign military intervention on its soil.
“Nigeria feels it can take care of the problem itself, but (Boko Haram) is no longer just
impacting Nigeria, it’s an issue for the whole region,” said an African diplomat based in Ethiopia’s capital.
Nigeria and its neighbours held talks this week in Niger’s capital Niamey on speeding
up the creation of the force to fight the militants.
Anger against the militants is growing in Cameroon, with protesters hitting the
capital’s streets Wednesday with signs saying “Beat it Boko Haram,” and “I am
Kolofata,” in reference to town that has suffered repeated attacks from Boko Haram.
The group’s leader Shekau claimed responsibility for the assault on Baga in a video
posted Tuesday which is thought to have killed hundreds and is considered the
militants’ deadliest attack.
In his 35-minute message Shekau said: “We will not stop. This is not much. You’ll
see.
http://saharareporters.com/2015/01/21/cameroon-frees-german-abducted-nigeria-boko-haram

Good job Cameroon.
Unlike you, we have a drunk on the throne

And who have we rescued? Certainly not our girls from Chibok. Our ridiculous leadership, both military and political must go. To imagine Shekau speaking so boldly, while the army response even pr-wise is clumsy and uninspired.

#change
#GMB
#APC
#oneNigeria