Abducted French family of 7 not released
Category: News
The French foreign ministry has denied reports that a French family, kidnapped in Cameroon this week, has been freed.Their supposed release dominated French media reports on Thursday, after a Cameroonian military source said they were "safe and well".
A French minister, Kader Arif, confirmed the news - but then was forced to backtrack.
On Thursday morning French media began to report that they had been found in Nigeria.
"They were found abandoned in a house in Dikwa" in Nigeria, about 100km [60 miles] from the border with Niger, a senior Cameroonian officer told AFP.
"They are in the hands of the Nigerian authorities."
The French veterans minister Kader Arif confirmed the news, but then backtracked, saying there was no official confirmation.
Cameroon's Communications Minister Issa Tchiroma Bakary then said: "It is a wild rumour. If this was true, the Cameroonian government would have already given the information to France," AFP reported.
After some hours, the French foreign ministry said in a statement that it formally "denied the information that the French hostages had been released".
Early Thursday morning, reports had it that the seven French citizens who were abducted in a town in Cameroon near the Nigerian border on Tuesday were freed by their captors in Dikwa town in northern Borno state.
Locals had told Daily Trust that the family was abandoned in a house in the town today.
They also claim the family have been evacuated to Maiduguri by a combined team of Soldiers, Policemen and Immigration officials.
The locals said the released family were unhurt.
The family of seven, including four children, two parents and an uncle were abducted by six gunmen on three motor bikes while traveling near the Waza nature reserve in the far north of Cameroon. Their vehicle was later discovered in a river near the Cameroon border with Nigeria.
The father in the family is an employee in French gas company GDF Suez.
Related news items:
Advertisement
Latest news
Nigeria, US step up food, drug check
Power seeks more funds in 2014 for “old and weak” projects
My Pikin ruling first-ever victory against counterfeiters—NAFDAC
Gunmen attack police stations, banks in Daura
Baker convicted for obstructing NAFDAC
Agriculture our major concern-Wada
‘Bayelsa ready for flood’
‘Plan to upgrade dental school to degree-awarding institution in advanced stage’
Journalists tasked on ethics
Unilorin expels 44 students
Kano distributes beddings to hospitals
Four arraigned over ‘illegal’ land possession
Ex-KACCIMA chair calls for takeoff of Kano dry port
‘Kaduna LG auditors can’t write report’
FG to build transit park in Kogi
Bauchi SUBEB boss to appear in court over criminal charges
Four women arrested for drugging colleague in Jigawa
Police to provide helicopter for aerial patrol in Kaduna
Jigawa police parade three suspected robbers
Not more than five tanneries operating in Kano’
Emergency: ACF cautions military on civilian casualties
No more of extra-judicial killing – CP
Keffi medical centre staff get challenge
ICPC, NUC seal 41 illegal universities
Hajj 2013: NAHCON inaugurates air carriers screening c’ttee
Justice Bukar appointed FCT High Court acting CJ
Court sets June 20 to rule on pension thief’s application
Kabiru Sokoto moves for no case submission
Emergency rule should end violence, Ribadu says
Nigeria, Cameroon to strengthen ties on trans-border security
Prev
Next
Page:
Latest Comments
there are three things to be done to make agric business in nigeria
pre and post...
Agriculture our major concern-Wada
keep on malam adamu dont give up you are a truly bonafide jounalist.
Imam: In praise of competence
How do we access the funds, why are there no jingles and adverts on radio and te...
Women urged to access CBN financial inclusion fund
Cartoons
