An American held hostage in West Africa for more than six years has been released, in a stunning turn of events that left the former captive thrilled to be free, officials and his family said Monday.
Aid worker Jeff Woodke was kidnapped on October 14th, 2016 from his home in the northern city of Abalak, Niger.
Jake Sullivan, national security adviser, said in a statement that I am relieved to see the release of U.S. hostage Jeff Woodke after over 6 years in captivity. The U.S. thanks Niger for his help in bringing him home to all who misses him. I thank so many people in our government who have worked tirelessly to secure his freedom. Secretary of State Antony Blinken thanked Roger Carstens, the U.S. special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, and other department officials whose yearslong work on Woodke's plight finally came to fruition today. "I have no higher priority than bringing home any unjustly detained American, wherever that is in the world," Blinken told reporters in Washington. We won't rest until they're all home and like Jeffrey reunited with their families. The now-former hostage's wife, Els Woodke, was at the family home in California when she was told about his release at about 4: 30 a.m. PDT, family spokesman Bob Klamser said.
Klamser said we didn't know that this release was coming.
Els Woodke received a phone call from her husband in Niger at 8 a.m. in California and spoke for an hour, according to a family statement.
He was in great spirits and thrilled to be free, the family said. He is currently undergoing medical evaluation and will be working with his family and the U.S. government on plans for his return home and reunion with his family. Els Woodke said many people and governments played a role in her husband's release.
She has expressed her profound thanks to the many people in governments and others around the world who have worked so hard to see this result, the family statement said. She praises God for answering the prayers of Christians everywhere who have prayed for this outcome. On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that journalist Olivier Dubois had been freed after nearly two years of captivity in Africa.
Dubois was missing in the northern city of Gao in Mali in April 2021.
Macron thanked Niger for helping win Dubois' freedom, but it wasn't immediately clear what role Mali's West African neighbor played in the hostage release.