The release of the 35 fishermen was finalized in the early hours of Monday, June 29, 2026.

The hostages had been held for several days by members of the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram in the Lake Chad region.

The operation was made possible following the payment of a ransom amounting to FCFA 2.7 million, secured by the victims’ families.

Initial accounts from the fishermen indicate they were detained on Filin Bado, one of hundreds of islands scattered across Lake Chad.

This incident underscores a growing trend where extremist groups increasingly resort to kidnappings for ransom to fund their activities.