Pastor Bulus Yikura, who was kidnapped by Boko Haram, has regained freedom 24 hours before the deadline set for his execution the abductors.

A security source informed The Nation the cleric was set free on Wednesday evening on the outskirts of Maiduguri metropolis.

He was sighted with a few family members and the Nigerian secret police.

Yikura’s freedom is coming one day before the dateline for his execution in a widely circulated video to seek for help.

He was sighted in the video kneeling and begging Federal Government and the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to intervene as his life was left hanging for a few days.

He was quoted in the video pleading: “I have been given only seven days to appeal for assistance that will help me out of this torture.

“If truly you want to rescue me from this untold suffering and threat to life, then you have to act fast.

“I am also calling on the EYN president to help mobilise help that will rescue me, and also pray for me so that God will make things easy for me here”.

It is not clear what transpired before the release of Pastor Yikura as details are still being kept under wraps.

Yikura was abducted on Christmas Eve last year when Boko Haram attacked Pemi village in Chibok Local Government Area of Borno State and had since been with the captors.

•Text (excluding headline) courtesy of The Nation.

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