© 2019 - International Centre for Investigative Reporting
After five months in Boko Haram’s captivity, abducted corps member gains freedom
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AFTER spending about five months in captivity of Boko Haram terrorists, a serving corps member, Halima Uwani Umar, kidnapped by one of the terror groups in the North East, has been freed.
A statement by Borno State government said Halima who was kidnapped in January was released as a result of a joint coordinated engagement involving key stakeholders.
The statement disclosed that her freedom was an outcome of a preliminary level negotiation involving the state government, the Kalthum Foundation for Peace, a non-governmental organization with inter-mediatory negotiation with the leadership of the terror group handled by a prominent investigative journalist with critical access.
The state government said the step was in line with its desire to work with strategic partners to open lines of communication with the insurgents as a means of freeing several non-combatant captives of the terror groups.
“The strategic interventionist team was empanelled to use every necessary tool and good spirited individuals to engage the insurgents in non-combatant ways as a means of de-escalation framework that will eventually result in freeing more captives and safe return of displaced persons in the state,” Borno State government said in the statement.
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It further explained that the insurgents released Halima as a sign of goodwill to commit to a new process of resolving the conflicts in the region.
“The state government, the military, the DSS played vital roles deploying professional field experience and strategic cover for the process. The state government shall continually bring the media up to speed as may be necessary.”
“We, as a government, are committed to working with the Federal organs of security as well as non-governmental organizations and well-meaning citizens to pursue with vigour the safe return of captives, displaced persons and vulnerable population of our great state.”
