Armed ViolenceNews

Boko Haram Releases Pastor Hours Before Deadline

The terror group has released Pastor Bulus Yakuru abducted in Pemi, Chibok, Borno state, Northeast Nigeria on Christmas eve.

The Abubakar Shekau led faction of Boko Haram has released Bulus Yakuru, a clergyman held in captivity since Dec. 24, 2020.

Yakuru was abducted by the terror group on the eve of Christmas in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria when its fighters stormed the village of Pemi, killing at least seven persons.

Pemi village is about 20 kilometres from Chibok, where Boko Haram insurgents abducted hundreds of schoolgirls in 2014.

Pastor Yakuru was freed on the evening of Wednesday, March 3, exactly on the expiration of the ultimatum given by the terror group to the Nigerian Government, earlier reported by HumAngle.


The clergyman had appeared in three Boko Haram videos – first in Dec. 2020 days after his abduction and then in Jan. and Feb. 2021.

In the videos, he pleaded for Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s intervention, Babagana Zulum, Governor of Borno State and also church leaders to rescue him.

According to PREMIUM TIMES, he was sighted being moved to the office of Nigeria’s domestic intelligence service known as the State Security Service in Borno after his release Wednesday evening.

In Jan. 2020, Reverend Lawan Andimi who was also abducted by Boko Haram was killed despite his pleas in a video to the government to secure his release.

He was the district chairman of the Church of the Brethren in Nigeria (EYN) in Michika, Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria.


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Murtala Abdullahi

Abdullahi Murtala is a researcher and reporter. His expertise is in conflict reporting, climate and environmental justice, and charting the security trends in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region. He founded the Goro Initiative and contributes to dialogues, publications and think-tanks that report on climate change and human security. He tweets via @murtalaibin

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