Yaounde, Cameroon (CNN)Cameroonian troops and their allies have freed a German man who was held for six months by Islamist terror group Boko Haram, Cameroonian President Paul Biya said. 

Boko Haram kidnapped German citizen Robert Nitsch Eberhard in Nigeria in July, Biya said in a statement read Wednesday on state-run broadcaster CRTV. He did not detail how, when or where the rescue operation took place. 

"A special operation of Cameroonian armed forces and security services of friendly countries" freed the man, he said. 

Eberhard told journalists he was glad to be alive. 

"I am happy to see all these people around me, who have rescued me and made sure that I survived, because until the last minute, I did not know whether I would survive or I would not survive. It was for me a big problem. Because it was darkness, total darkness, and you see nobody around you. Then this is a big problem to say OK, I will survive or not survive," Eberhard said. 

Eberhard was flown in from Cameroon's Far North Region to Yaounde shortly after noon Wednesday. 

He said he was grateful to all those who worked to secure his release. 

The German ambassador to Cameroon, Klaus-Ludwig Keferstein, also thanked Cameroonian authorities, particularly because "we could find a solution to this problem of hostage-taking," he said. 

Eberhard spoke amid heavy security and mentioned that he was teaching at a vocational school in Gombe, Adamawa state, Nigeria, before the insurgents took him hostage in July. 

He has been taken to the residence of the German ambassador in Yaounde. The ambassador said initial medical care will be given to him before he is flown back to Germany for more medical attention. 
Who saved him?
A special operation of Cameroonian armed forces and security services of friendly countries" freed the man, 