A man identified as the father of a kidnapped French family has spoken on a video obtained by AFP on Monday, which claimed to be a recording made by Nigeria’s Islamist rebels Boko Haram.
The recording opens with the voice of a man claiming to be a member of Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram, then switches to Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, the head of the hostage family, who says his had been held hostage for 25 days.
“I have been arrested 25 days ago, with my wife, my four kids, the latest of one being four years old, and my brother who came from Europe, by an armed commando of Jamaatu Ahlisunnah Lidda’awatiwal Jihad,” he says in English after his French statement.
Jamaatu Ahlisunnah Lidda’awatiwal Jihad is what Boko Haram has said it wants to be called.
“We have been detained since 25 days in a desert place. Living conditions are very hard,” he adds in the recording.
“We lose force (strength) every day and start to be sick; we will not stay very long like this”
He repeated demands made in the previous video calling for the release of prisoners being held in Cameroon and Nigeria.
The recording, believed to have been copied from a video, is addressed directly to Cameroonian President Paul Biya: “They will only liberate us if the men that you have arrested in Cameroon are set free.
“Boko Haram does not want a conflict with Cameroon, but if you continue to arrest its members, there will be kidnappings and suicide attacks in Cameroon.”
The more than three-minute video shows the family, including four children, held in an undisclosed location, surrounded by at least three of the abductors from the Nigerian group whose faces are hidden.
A source close to the family confirmed their identities to AFP. It was not clear when the video was made.