Some Nigerians have spoken against the killing of an aid worker with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) by factional Boko Haram.
Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate, condemned the execution of Hauwa Leman by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a faction of Boko Haram on Monday.
This is even as ICRC, Tuesday, confirmed the killing of its aid health worker.
Reacting, Atiku on his official Twitter Page, said, “I’m deeply saddened by the murder of Hauwa Leman, an ICRC aid worker, by terrorists.
“I implore the Federal Government to deploy every reasonable tool at its disposal to bring Leah Shuaibu and all the children in Boko Haram captivity home.”
Similarly, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Senate President, has condemned the murder.
Saraki in a statement by Yusuph Olaniyonu, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, in Abuja, described that humanitarian workers who work in crisis zones to provide necessary support for victims as most selfless and courageous persons and should never be targets of harm.
Also, the Senate on Tuesday observed a two-minute silence in honour of Leman. This followed a motion raised by Ike Ekweremadu, the Deputy Senate President, and subsequent debate on the issue where the Senate resolved to pay official condolence visit to the family of the deceased.
The Upper Chamber also resolved to ensure that the Federal Government, through its security agencies, take necessary measures to secure the freedom of both Leah Sharibu and other surviving members of the ICRC being held hostage by the insurgents.
Speaking on the resolution, Saraki said: “Distinguished Colleagues, irrespective of the decision that we have taken, I believe that our committees on defence and security, as part of their own responsibilities, should engage with the security agencies to find out if there are other issues that need to be addressed in order to prevent the reoccurrence of such sad incident”.
He also commiserated with the family of the deceased and the ICRC over the unfortunate incident and stated that the Senate will continue to work with the nation’s Armed Forces to stop the killings and improve security across the country.
Saraki had earlier in a tweet on his personal handle, @bukolasaraki, wrote that: “I join Nigerians and the international community in condemning the murder of Hauwa Leman – an aid worker with @ICRC, by Boko Haram.
“As I said on the 18th of September 2018, humanitarian workers who go into troubled spots to alleviate people’s suffering are some of the most courageous and selfless people on the planet. They are #NotATarget.
“My colleagues and I in the Nigerian Senate remain committed to continue working with our Armed Forces to find a lasting solution to these senseless killings by insurgents and improve our security infrastructure,” he stated.
Meanwhile, ICRC has confirmed the execution of its worker, Hauwa Liman, by Boko Haram terrorists on Monday.
In a statement it released to confirm Monday’s incident, ICRC said the death of the two aid workers will be felt by thousands of people in Rann and other conflict-affected areas of north-east Nigeria where accessing health care remains a challenge.
On Tuesday, Patricia Danzi, the ICRC’s regional director for Africa, in a statement described the killing as utterly devastating and heart-breaking.
The statement was published by the ICRC on its website, Tuesday afternoon.
“It’s utterly devastating that we have to write that sentence. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) received information indicating that Hauwa Mohammed Liman has been killed by her captors in a despicable act of cruelty.
“Hauwa is the second abducted health worker in Nigeria to be murdered in the last month.
“The news of Hauwa’s death has broken our hearts,” said ICRC’s Regional Director for Africa, Patricia Danzi.
“We appealed for mercy and an end to such senseless murders. How can it be that two female health care workers were killed back-to-back? Nothing can justify this.
“Hauwa, 24, was full of life, becoming a midwife at an early age. People who knew her described her as a sociable, dynamic and enthusiastic woman who was much loved by family and friends. She was truly dedicated to her work helping vulnerable women in her family’s home area.
“Hauwa was abducted in an attack in the north-eastern town of Rann on 01 March, together with Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa and Alice Loksha. Saifura was deliberately killed on 16 September, while Alice remains in captivity, along with Leah Sharibu, a 15-year-old student abducted by the group in a separate incident in February.
“Hauwa and Saifura worked in a health-care centre supported by the ICRC; Alice worked in a centre supported by UNICEF.”
ICRC also said it made sustained and committed efforts to secure the release of the three health-care workers, including a last-minute plea for mercy on Sunday to the Islamic State’s West African province group, to no avail.
“Hauwa and Saifura’s deaths are not only a tragedy for their families, but they will also be felt by thousands of people in Rann and other conflict-affected areas of north-east Nigeria where accessing health care remains a challenge. We urge the group holding Alice and Leah to release them safely,” said Ms Danzi.
