The plane carrying the mayor of Lagdo and his companions in misfortune, landed at the Garoua International Airport on Sunday, August 14, 2016. It was the end of an ordeal of nearly 16 months of captivity in the hands of rebels operating in the Central African Republic for the Cameroonian hostages.  A statement from the Civil Cabinet of the Presidency of the Republic revealed that, they were released on the 17^th of July 2016.

Cameroon Intelligence Report gathered the 11 former hostages had been kidnapped by a rebel group in March 2015, some 11 km from the town of Garoua-Boulaï, in the East region, on the border with Central African Republic. Our chief political correspondent in Bertoua hinted that two of their companions died of tuberculosis and the remaining 11 men and women were then held hostage in Zoukombo, in Central Africa.

After their release, President Paul Biya congratulated the Defence Forces and the secret service and also thanked those who worked to this happy outcome.

By Rita Akana with files from CRTV