Yemisi Izuora
The United Nations (UN), Thursday expressed delight with the release of a number of civilians; including three aid workers who were abducted by militants from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
Edward Kallon, UN humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, further demanded the release of other detained civilians.
“Despite this encouraging news; I am concerned about the fate of the other civilians abducted in this incident,” he said in a statement.
The victims were abducted along the Monguno-Maiduguri road in late December.
Further, Kallon called for the release of other hostages still being held by the armed groups.
“I also remain gravely concerned for the lives of our ACF colleague Grace Taku, abducted near Damasak in July 2019; and Alice Loksha, a nurse and a mother, abducted during an attack in Rann in March 2018. Both are still held captive by non-state armed groups. The United Nations and its humanitarian partners call for their immediate and safe release.”
“I am extremely worried by the increasingly insecure environment that humanitarians are working in to provide urgent and vital assistance to civilians affected by the crisis,” he added.
Some 20 aid workers have been killed in crisis-affected Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, according to the UN.
Even though the UN did not directly address any group; Boko Haram has been involved in over a decade long insurgency against the Nigerian government. Also, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a group which split from Boko Haram in 2016; has also been involved in attacks on government and recently civilian targets.
Oriental News Nigeria reports that fighters from Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a Boko Haram splinter group, released three aid workers abducted last month in Borni State.
The aid workers were kidnapped along with other passengers in two separate incidents in December. ISWAP militants had disguised as soldiers and proceeded to intercept vehicles on highways outside the Borno state capital, Maiduguri.
ISWAP, which split from the Boko Haramextremist group in 2016; has focused on targeting military installations and troops since mid-2018. However, there has recently been an increase in attacks on civilians blamed on ISWAP.
A security source disclosed to AFP that; “the five aid workers were released… after days of mediated negotiations with ISWAP” on Wednesday.
The hostages are local staff of international humanitarian agencies; providing aid to thousands of people displaced by the violence in the region.
Asabe Musa, a hygiene specialist with ALIMA (Alliance for International Medical Action); a French NGO, was among the five freed hostages.
“We were released by our captors today (Wednesday). Two of us are from ALIMA, one each from Red Cross, Solidarity and IOM (International Office for Migration),” Musa said.
“We were first taken to the DSS headquarters before we were handed over to our various agencies. We are all in good health. I and my colleagues are now at ALIMA office here in Maiduguri where we are staying for the night.”
The negotiations for the release were reportedly initiated by the Department for State Services (DSS). However, a source who refused to be named owing to the sensitivity of the subject, disclosed to 1st News that some form of ransom had been paid to the terrorists. However, he did not disclose the value of the ransom.
