Samuel Ivaha Diboua, Governor of the Eastern Region of Cameroon, has denied the release of the Mayor of Lagdo, according to media sources.

“Some hostages have been released. Many thought that it was the Mayor of Ladgo. He is still in the hands of his captors,” said the governor of the Eastern Region over the State radio, on Wednesday.

However, the army claimed the release of some hostages at the end of last week, in a village called Batoua, the people taken hostage, had been released thanks to the intervention of the Rapid Intervention Battalion (Bir), an elite unit of the Cameroonian army.

Several hostages escaped during the fight and some security sources quickly informed their press contacts that the Mayor of Lagdo was among them.

"Kidnapped on March 19, 2015, at a place called Gbabio, in the company of about 15 people who were also returning from a funeral, Mama Abakai, Mayor of Ladgo (North), is still in the hands of his captors," noted the Governor.

The kidnappers of the Mayor of Ladgo demanded the sum of 5 billion FCFA to free their hostage.