Frenchman kidnapped by JAMBS begs for freedom  A 63-year-old French national, Francis Collomp, an engineer with the French firm, Vergnet, who was kidnapped in Rimi in Katsina state on December 19 2012 , has pleaded for his release. His plea was shown in a video footage posted online by his abductors, Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina Fi Bildis-Sudan. Agence France Presse reported that the abductee’s brother, Denis Collomp, said if the video was authentic, it would be the first video of Collomp to emerge since his abduction. He said it was a relief seeing the images, while still fearing for his safety. “I’m relieved, it’s good, even though he looked tired,” he said from his home in southeastern France. But he added, “Ansaru have never released a single hostage, so it’s still very worrying,” recalling that his brother had undergone a triple heart bypass years ago. Parts of the short video statement are not clear, but Francis Collomp can be heard calling for “negotiations” for his “safe release.” In the latter half of the three-minute video, the camera focuses on an Arabic statement that addresses “the government(s) of France and Nigeria,” according to the translation provided by SITE. While there is no direct threat of further attack on Collomp’s life, the statement vows to treat “treachery and treason” by the French or Nigerian governments with “reciprocity.” Ansaru is considered by some to be a breakaway faction of Boko Haram, Nigeria’s more prominent Islamist group which has waged a deadly insurgency since 2009. A highly placed source at Presidency said although the mandate of the Presidential Committee on Dialogue and Peaceful Resolution of the Security Challenges in the North did not include JAMBS, the committee might extend its negotiation to the sect. The French Embassy in Nigeria has yet to make a pronouncement on the recently released video on its kidnapped national. Comment: Dangerous trend of terrorism as kidnap victim from Dec 19th 2012 without any contact for negotiation prior to 27th Sept footage. Let Govt wake up before these dragons set the nation ablaze.
Posted on: Sun, 29 Sep 2013 03:06:44 +0000
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