French President Francois Hollande greeted a French family of seven in Paris on Saturday (April 20) on their release after being held hostage by an Islamist group in Nigeria for two months.

The Moulin-Fournier family was released on Friday in Cameroon following secret talks, France said.

They left Cameroon Friday night with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius.

Hollande greeted the family on the runway in Paris.

(SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH PRESIDENT, FRANCOIS HOLLANDE, SAYING:

"It's with deep emotion that I welcome the family Moulin-Fournier. The family which was captured and held hostage and the relatives who were waiting for them. Today, reunited family, happy family, but it's also the family of France who is relieved and touched.''

He thanked Cameroon and Nigeria for the role they played in securing the release of the hostages.

The father of the kidnapped family, Tanguy Moulin-Fournier, worked in Cameroon for French utility firm GDF Suez.