Three Israeli filmmakers who were nabbed by Nigerian authorities over alleged links to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have arrived in their home country on Thursday.

This was confirmed by the Israel Foreign minister, Yair Lapid (Yesh Atid) who said: “I am very happy that Rudy, Andrew, and David have been released from a Nigeria prison and returned this morning to Israel.”

I thank the staff of the Foreign Ministry, the Consular Branch, and especially the Nigerian authorities and the Chargé d’Affaires in Nigeria, Yotam Kreiman, for their unending efforts to bring about the release. The emissaries of the State of Israel, around the world, have once again proven that they stand on guard and help every Israeli in distress.”

Ripples Nigeria gathered that Rudy Rochman, Andrew (Noam) Leibman, and Edouard David Benaym, who were arrested as they attempted to film a documentary, were released Wednesday thanks to aid from the Israeli Embassy in Abuja. They arrived in Israel Thursday morning.

The trio was arrested three weeks ago in Anambra, on suspicion of cooperating with IPOB.

The three thanked the Israeli Foreign Ministry and praised the cooperation between the embassies of Israel, the US, and France in Nigeria, who worked together with the Nigerian authorities and kept in touch with them during their time in prison.