A journalist, Ahmed Salkida, known to have access to the leadership of
Boko Haram, has revealed that one out of the six abducted aid
workers of Action Against Hunger (AAH), an international
non-governmental organisation (NGO), has been killed.
Salkida disclosed this through his Twitter handle on Wednesday.
The six aid workers, five male and a female, were kidnapped by members
of the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) after their
convoy was attacked in Damasak, Borno state.
In a video obtained by TheCable after the abduction, one of the
victims identified as Grace pleaded with the federal government, the
Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the international community
to come to their rescue.
The journalist said the deceased, a male, was shot at a close range in
a video seen by him.
According to him, the insurgents alleged that they took the action
because “the government deceived them”.
“Just In: #ISWAP has executed one of the six aid workers, working with
the Action Against Hunger that was abducted two months ago in Borno,”
he tweeted.
“One of the male aid workers was executed at close range in a short
video clip seen by this reporter.
“The group, in a horrific video of the execution, said it took the
action because ‘the government deceived them’ following months of what
is now known as secret negotiations between a team of intermediaries
and unnamed officials.
“ISWAP has also threatened to execute the other remaining staff of the
International Non-Governmental Organisation (ACF/AAH). Recall, the
INGO was declared persona non grata last week by the @HQNigerian Army
for aiding terrorism in the region, an allegation the INGO denied.”
Last Thursday, the army shut down the offices of AAH in the north-east
over allegations of providing food and healthcare to the insurgents.
The army had accused NGOs of providing humanitarian support to the
insurgents, warning that “it will not hesitate to sanction any such
recalcitrant organisation as appropriate”.
