Mali kidnap: Swiss woman freed in Timbuktu

A Swiss woman abducted in the rebel-held north Malian town of Timbuktu more than a week ago is free, officials say.

The woman, a Christian missionary in her 40s, was handed over to a Swiss official by the group holding her, the Swiss foreign ministry said.

She was taken from her house by armed men soon after Timbuktu fell to separatist and Islamist rebels.

On Sunday, the Islamist group Ansar Dine said she was in its custody and that it wanted to free her.

In a statement, the Swiss foreign ministry said the woman had been taken to safety, and that she was in good health, "considering the circumstances".

It also thanked the authorities in Mali and Burkina Faso for their help in securing the woman's release.

The ministry declined to give her personal details, citing data protection laws, but news agency reports have named her as Beatrice Stockly.

Eyewitnesses said that after the handover she boarded a helicopter that flew her to Burkina Faso.

Secular Tuareg rebels, along with Ansar Dine, completed a takeover of Timbuktu and the rest of northern Mali earlier this month after mutinous troops had overthrown President Amadou Toumani Toure in a coup, throwing the country into chaos.

Most foreigners fled Timbuktu at the time.

Facing sanctions from regional body Ecowas and unable to contain the rebellion in the north, the coup leaders later agreed to hand over power to civilian rule.

Since 2009, Switzerland has advised against travel to Mali, citing the risk of kidnap. After last month's coup, it advised all Swiss nationals in Mali to leave the country temporarily.

SSS parades 11 suspected kidnappers in Edo

Eleven suspected kidnappers, including a female staff of a new generation bank, alleged to be involved in the killing of a State Security Services, SSS, operative in the state, Amenaghawon Ogbeide-Ihama, in Benin City last month, were, yesterday paraded by the SSS Command in Edo State.
The suspects included seven males and four females. SSS Director in the state, Mr. Bello Bakori, who paraded the suspects before Governor Adams Oshiomhole, said the operation that led to their arrest was conducted by a joint operation of the military, the police and SSS.
Bakori described the arrest as a major achievement, explaining: “Some of the gangs that participated in the killing of our personnel had been arrested by us and by the grace of God, we are going to get others. In the process of executing the assignment, we were able to rescue a Pastor, who was kidnapped.
“I want to also let you know that it was a joint operation, the military gave us wonderful support and we had other teams that gave us support. We want to assure the people of Edo State that by the grace of God, we will ensure that there is peace and security in this state.”
Governor Oshiomhole, who commended the officers and men that were involved in the operation, said that the arrest of the suspects was an indication that criminals have no hiding place in the state.
He said: “The message is clear; there is no hiding lace for these criminals. It may take us time but we will get them. And they can’t win the war, we must win the war. It is interesting to know that a lot of those involved in this crime, some are from Edo while some are from different states, which shows that there are no brothers for criminals.”