After months in captivity by extremists, a Christian pastor in Nigeria has regained his freedom.

Rev. Polycarp Zango pastors a Church of Christ congregation in Jos, Nigeria. He was kidnapped by the militants in October, 2020. The kidnapping was caught on video and quickly went viral, according to news website Our Nigeria.

Zango had been seen in video asking the state government and his church to negotiate with his captors.

Our Nigeria reports that the pastor regained his freedom thanks to Ummu Kalthum Muhammad, Chairperson and Founder of Kalthum Foundation for Peace. A spokesperson from the agency told reporters that they had been "working behind the scenes since January to get the Reverend and other hostages released.

"To the best of my knowledge, no ransom was paid to get the clergyman released," the spokesperson says. "You can confirm this from his family and his church.

“All I can say is that John Pofi Foundation encouraged and even pressurized KFP to get the Reverend released because he was critically ill."