A senior member of the International Rescue Committee’s staff who was kidnapped by non-state actors in March this year has been released by his abductors.
The ISWAP faction of Boko Haram kidnapped Alkali Imam, a former journalist with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), when they raided Monguno on March 10, 2022, where he was working as a humanitarian.
The Senior Area Manager with IRC, an American-based non-government organization, was ultimately released from captivity after 174 days.
The abducted humanitarian is presently in their custody after being freed late Tuesday night, sources at one of Nigeria’s top security agencies told newsmen in Maiduguri.
The source, who requested anonymity on behalf of himself and the organization, said, “He is currently in our office here in Maiduguri having some debriefing and medical checkup before he would be rejoined with his family later.”
According to the source, the humanitarian worker was brought in, appearing emaciated and feeble.
An IRC employee who also requested anonymity also confirmed the development and added that IRC had been there for the family, demonstrating its duty of care.
“He has been released, but we haven’t actually met him yet because he’s still going through security procedures,” the IRC staff said.