“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. 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.

SOURCE:
PM NEWS

Cameroon! Hmm I dnt ve much 2 say! U guys re great!