ISWAP kills four aid workers as ‘talks with FG break down’

Four out of five abducted aid workers of Action Against Hunger (AAH), an international non-governmental organisation (NGO), have been killed.

Ahmed Salkida, a journalist known to have access to the leadership of Boko Haram, disclosed this in a series of tweets on Friday.

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 July.

One of the aid workers, a male, was killed in September. The insurgents alleged that they took the action because “the government deceived them”.

According to Salkida, the remaining aid worker, Grace Taku, who is the only female, has not been killed but condemned to a “life of slavery”.

He quoted the insurgents as saying the execution of the four aide workers followed the breakdown of talks with the federal government.

“ISWAP executes four more, releases video. All four are male humanitarian workers of Action Against Hunger abducted since July, 2019. The only female amongst them, Grace Taku, according to ISWAP, is condemned to life of slavery,” he tweeted.

“ISWAP claims the execution was as a result of breakdown of talks with the government.”

“The government is not sincere and do not respect timelines,” reports an ISWAP source. Taku’s fate is now the same with other Christian female captives with the terror group.”

Exclusive: ISWAP executes four more, releases video. All four are male humanitarian workers of Action Against Hunger abducted since July, 2019. The only female amongst them, Grace Taku, according to ISWAP, is condemned to life of slavery. pic.twitter.com/DxqM7uAOSm

— Ahmad Salkida (@A_Salkida) December 13, 2019

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ISWAP claims the execution was as a result of breakdown of talks with the government. "The government is not sincere and do not respect timelines," reports an ISWAP source. Taku's fate is now the same with other Christian female captives with the terror group. pic.twitter.com/UOzvgbTKx5

— Ahmad Salkida (@A_Salkida) December 13, 2019

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Reacting in a statement, AAH condemned the killing of the aid workers and asked for the immediate release of the surviving aid worker.

“The armed group responsible for kidnapping six humanitarian workers in north-east Nigeria on 18 July, 2019 today claimed they have executed four hostages. This brings the number of fatalities to five,” the statement said.

“Action Against Hunger extends its deepest sympathies to their loved ones and our colleagues in Nigeria.

“Action Against Hunger condemns these latest killings in the strongest terms and deeply regrets that its calls for the release of the hostages have not been acted upon.

“Action Against Hunger is extremely concerned and calls for the immediate release of its staff member, Grace, who remains in captivity.

“Action Against Hunger states categorically that every attack against humanitarian workers ultimately impacts vulnerable civilians.”