Cameroon military frees German in Boko Haram custody

The Cameroon military has freed captured German national Nitsch Eberhard Robert from Boko Haram custody.

Robert, a teacher, was captured last July in Nigeria but is now safely in Yaoundé, the country’s capital, according to Germany’s foreign ministry spokesman Martin Schaefe.

The presidency of the Republic of Cameroon in a statement yesterday said: ”a special operation led by Cameroonian armed forces along with security services of friendly nations succeeded” in freeing Robert.

Boko Haram kidnapped Eberhard in Nigeria in July, Cameroon President Paul Biya said. He did not detail how, when or where the rescue operation took place. “A special operation of Cameroonian armed forces and security services of friendly countries” freed the man, he said.

Eberhard told journalists he was glad to be alive.

“I am happy to see all these people around me, who have rescued me and made sure that I survived, because until the last minute, I did not know whether I would survive or I would not survive. It was for me a big problem. Because it was darkness, total darkness, and you see nobody around you. Then this is a big problem to say OK, I will survive or not survive,” Eberhard said.

Eberhard was flown in from Cameroon’s Far North Region to Yaounde shortly after noon Wednesday in a military plane.

He said he was grateful to all those who worked to secure his release. The German ambassador to Cameroon, Klaus-Ludwig Keferstein, also thanked Cameroonian authorities, particularly because “we could find a solution to this problem of hostage taking,” he said.

Eberhard spoke amid heavy security and mentioned that he was teaching at a vocational school in Gombe, Adamawa state, Nigeria, before the insurgents took him hostage in July.

He has been taken to the residence of the German ambassador in Yaounde. The ambassador said initial medical care will be given to him in Yaounde before he is flown back to Germany for more medical attention.

Biya said he was thankful to all those who “directly or indirectly helped in the achievement … and particularly the German government for their precious contribution.”

He did not specify how Germany participated. The German Foreign Office did not immediately respond to CNN’s request for comment.

Chad sent about 2,500 troops last week to help Cameroon fight Boko Haram. Boko Haram was designated as a foreign terrorist organisation by the U.S. State Department in 2013. The militant Islamic group seeks to establish an Islamic state in Nigeria and has ruthlessly targeted civilians.