WASHINGTON (AP) — An American aid worker who was kidnapped in the West African nation of Niger more than six years ago has been released from custody, the Biden administration said Monday.
Jeffery Woodke was kidnapped from his home in Abalak, Niger, in October 2016 by men who ambushed and killed his guards and forced him at gunpoint into their truck, where he was driven north toward Mali’s border. He had been doing humanitarian aid work in Niger for more than 30 years.
A senior Biden administration official who briefed reporters Monday on condition of anonymity described the release as the culmination of years of efforts, but declined to say what exactly led to him being freed from captivity or where he is now.
The official said no ransom was paid and no concession was made to captors.