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Cameroon kidnap: Bamenda students freed Cameroon kidnap: Bamenda students freed
(about 4 hours later)
Students kidnapped from a boarding school in Cameroon's North-West region have been freed, officials say. Schoolchildren kidnapped from a boarding school in Cameroon's North-West region are meeting the regional governor after being freed.
The 78 students and three others were seized early on Sunday in the region's capital, Bamenda.The 78 students and three others were seized early on Sunday in the region's capital, Bamenda.
A driver was also released, but the school's principal and a teacher are still being held.A driver was also released, but the school's principal and a teacher are still being held.
The government and separatists in the English-speaking region have been accusing each other of being behind the kidnapping. The government has accused separatists in the English-speaking region of being behind the kidnapping.
A video purportedly showing some of the kidnapped students from Bamenda's Presbyterian Secondary School has been shared online, sparking outrage. The Anglophone separatists have denied they were involved.
An Anglophone separatist movement took up arms last year to demand independence for the North-West and South-West regions - the two English-speaking regions in a country where French is the most widely spoken official language. The secessionist movement took up arms last year to demand independence for the North-West and South-West regions - the two English-speaking regions in a country where French is the most widely spoken official language.
It is unclear who kidnapped the students and why they did so, but authorities say the freed students are being questioned before being reunited with their parents. The kidnapped students, aged between 11-17 years old, are "frightened and traumatised but in good shape", Rev Fonki Samuel, Presbyterian Church Moderator in Cameroon, told the BBC Focus on Africa programme.
He said that they were being given food and being checked by the doctors before being released to their parents.
He added that Bamenda's Presbyterian Secondary School - where they were seized - had been closed.
How were the children freed?How were the children freed?
According to the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon, the students were abandoned in one of their buildings in the town of Bafut, about 24km (15 miles) from Bamenda.According to the Presbyterian Church of Cameroon, the students were abandoned in one of their buildings in the town of Bafut, about 24km (15 miles) from Bamenda.
"The release was done peacefully... by unidentified gunmen. They [students] were brought into the church premises," Rev Fonki Samuel, the Presbyterian moderator of the Bamenda school, told the BBC's Newsday programme about the release. "The release was done peacefully... by unidentified gunmen. They [students] were brought into the church premises," Rev Samuel said.
"The first information we got from them [kidnappers] is their call and they were telling us they intended to release the children yesterday [Tuesday] morning... but unfortunately it rained so heavily that could not happen."The first information we got from them [kidnappers] is their call and they were telling us they intended to release the children yesterday [Tuesday] morning... but unfortunately it rained so heavily that could not happen.
"So [on] the evening of yesterday [Tuesday], surprisingly and by God's grace, the children were brought back to us." "So [on] the evening of yesterday, surprisingly and by God's grace, the children were brought back to us."
Rev Samuel told the BBC that 78 students, not 79 as earlier reported, had been released.Rev Samuel told the BBC that 78 students, not 79 as earlier reported, had been released.
The Presbyterian church also revealed that Sunday's kidnapping was the second such case at the same school in less than a week. He also revealed that Sunday's kidnapping was the second such case at the school in less than a week.
In the earlier 31 October incident, 11 boys were taken and then released. It is unclear who the kidnappers were. In the earlier 31 October incident, 11 boys were taken and then released. It is unclear who the kidnappers were but the church paid a ransom of $4,000 (£3,000) to secure their release, he said.
The army had been deployed to try and find the children. The army had been deployed to try and find the children taken on Sunday.
Who was behind the kidnap?Who was behind the kidnap?
Rev Samuel told the BBC he was not concerned about who was behind the kidnapping, only "overwhelmed and happy" that the schoolchildren had been released. Rev Samuel told the BBC he was not concerned about who was behind the kidnapping, only "overwhelmed and happy" that the schoolchildren had been freed.
He said, "armed groups, gangsters and thieves" could be taking advantage of the insecurity in the region to kidnap people, and blame it on the government and separatists.
Cameroon's authorities have blamed the kidnap on Anglophone separatist militias - who have called for schools in English-speaking regions to be closed.Cameroon's authorities have blamed the kidnap on Anglophone separatist militias - who have called for schools in English-speaking regions to be closed.
They want to create an independent state called Ambazonia.They want to create an independent state called Ambazonia.
Anxious parents had gathered on Tuesday at the Presbyterian Secondary School to try to get information about their children.
A video of the hostages released on Monday showed one of the captives saying they had been seized by "Amba Boys" - the widely-used term to describe the separatist rebels.A video of the hostages released on Monday showed one of the captives saying they had been seized by "Amba Boys" - the widely-used term to describe the separatist rebels.
An Anglophone group, the Ambazonia International Policy Commission (AIPC), has however cast doubt on the idea that the separatists were behind the kidnapping, noting that the person recording the video appears to have a poor grasp of Pidgin-English, the language spoken widely in the Anglophone area of the country. An Anglophone group, the Ambazonia International Policy Commission (AIPC), has however denied that the separatists were behind the kidnapping, noting that the person recording the video appears to have a poor grasp of Pidgin-English, the language spoken widely in the Anglophone area of the country.
One of the kidnappers was apparently heard speaking French. One of the kidnappers was also apparently heard speaking French.
What is happening in English-speaking parts of Cameroon?What is happening in English-speaking parts of Cameroon?
English-speakers in Cameroon have long complained that they face discrimination. English-speakers in Cameroon have long complained that they face discrimination from Cameroon's Francophone majority.
They say that they are excluded from top civil service jobs and that government documents are often only published in French, even though English is also an official language.They say that they are excluded from top civil service jobs and that government documents are often only published in French, even though English is also an official language.
Cameroon - still divided along colonial linesCameroon - still divided along colonial lines
Read more: Cameroon timelineRead more: Cameroon timeline