ISWAP release 5 abducted Borno govt. officials

By Our reporter

Oct. 5, 2020- The Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) has released five officials of the Borno State government’s Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RRR) they abducted last month, an official has confirmed.

The terrorist group had abducted the state government officials while travelling between Maiduguri and Monguno.

The five officials had appeared in a video released by their abductors a fortnight ago, begging the state government to come to their rescue.

The insurgents had earlier threatened to attack staff of international and local nongovernmental organisations for working for “the enemies of Islam.”

The insurgents had made the threat before they carried out the execution of five abducted security personnel and staff of some international organisations in August.

A source who was familiar with the release of the five government officials said the insurgents had mistaken the civil servants for NGO workers.

“They initially thought the five abductees were staff of some NGOs,” the source said.

“But they had to change their minds when they realised that they were only junior staffers – mostly labourers engaged by the ministry of RRR.”

It was also gathered that the five abductees regained their freedom with the help of Ummul-Kalthum Abdurrahman, the chief executive officer of Kalthum Foundation for Peace (KFP), a non-governmental organisation based in Maiduguri.