Worshippers and priests kidnapped from a Catholic church in South-West Cameroon have been released after 6 weeks in captivity.
A spokesperson for the Cameroonian Episcopal Conference confirmed the release of the nine abductees on Sunday evening.
The victims were abducted last month after gunmen stormed St Mary Catholic Church in Nchang parish. The attackers then burnt the church.
In a statement, Bishop Aloysius Fondong thanked all those who helped in negotiating the release and safety of the victims.
Before their release, one of the abducted priests was seen in a video thanking the “freedom fighters of Ambazonia”. Ambazonia is a separatist armed group in English-speaking regions of Cameroon.
He added that they were released without paying a ransom. Two days before their release, a video emerged of the captives pleading with the Catholic Church to come to their rescue.