The Boko Haram sect has released the 3 lecturers alongside the policewomen that were abducted last year in Maiduguri during an oil exploration trip in the Northeast part of Nigeria.
A security source revealed to newsmen that the women and the university teachers are being flown to the Nigerian capital, Abuja where they will be questioned briefly before they are reunited with their families.
The university lecturers were abducted by the group while conducting oil prospective in the Lake Chad area on behalf of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Some of their colleagues were killed during the abduction in 2017
“Their release followed a series of negotiations as directed by President Buhari and was facilitated by the International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC,” said Garba Shehu, presidential spokesperson in a statement.
According to reports, the Swiss government and the International Committee for the Red cross mediated the release which involves payments of a huge ransom.
Ndu Ughamadu of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation said to newsmen:
“About 10 staff from the survey and geological department of the University of Maiduguri were abducted on Tuesday, the team had been contracted to carry out research work on oil exploration activities taking place in the Lake Chad basin. and they were were kidnapped around Jibi village in Borno state after a gun duel between the security agents accompanying them and Boko Haram fighters” .
Some few days later after the abduction of these men, efforts were made by security agents to release them. This was repelled by the insurgents as it was noted that taking further espionage actions might lead to casualty on the sides of the captives.
