Follow Us on Google
Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Six aid workers abducted recently in a Borno town by Boko Haram terrorists have appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to secure their release from the Islamists’ custody.
The six (five men and a woman), who are staff of Action Against Hunger, a humanitarian organisation, were kidnapped by Boko Haram terrorists around Damasak, in northern Borno on July 18, on their way to deliver aid to the area.
In a video believed to have been released by Boko Haram, the aid workers appealed to Nigerians and the Federal Government to intervene to avoid being killed. In the video, a kneeling female hostage who identified herself as Grace spoke with five male hostages knelt behind her.
Abducted Aid Worker In Borno Cries For Help In New Video
@AsoRock @HQNigerianArmy @PoliceNG @MBuhari @NGRPresident @nassnigeria @acfusa @ACF_UK @ACF_Nigeria @ACF_EU pic.twitter.com/Y6uEdXYw0X
— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 25, 2019
“We went to work on Thursday 18th July, 2019 out of Damasak. On our way out of Damasak, we were caught by the armies of Khalifa (Boko Haram splinter group). We dont know where we are. We beg Action Against Hunger, CAN and Federal Government to do something,” Grace, clad in a blue Islamic veil (hijab) said.
She said they were working for Nigerians in the volatile northeast Borno State. She appealed to the Nigerian government to “do something” so that the fate of other aid workers kidnapped by the insurgents in the past would not befall them.
“Please, do something to see that we were released because these have occurred before where Hauwa and Deborah were caught and later killed,” she said.
She recalled that the women also begged to be released but Nigerians and government “didn’t do anything” and they were killed.
“I am begging that Nigerians should not allow such to happen to us,” she said.
Three aid workers, including one Hauwa Mohammed Liman of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), had in early March been kidnapped in Rann, headquarters of Kala Balge Local Government, during a raid by Boko Haram. Hauwa was later killed by the insurgents in August following a threat by the terrorists.
