Aid workers died as heroes – Zulum

Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno state has expressed deep pain following the execution of aid workers by insurgents, describing them aid as heroes who were gruesomely killed in service to humanity.

Zulum’s spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau, in a statement Thursday morning quoted the governor saying he was informed of the execution Wednesday evening while he was at the headquarters of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Abuja to discuss introduction of civil-defence volunteer programme and deployment of more Agro Rangers to secure farmers in Borno state.

Zulum departed Maiduguri same Wednesday and on arriving Abuja drove to the NSCDC.

The insurgents had released a video which showed five blindfolded aid workers with four of them shot at close range, while one was spared even though he was also positioned for execution. The five aid workers were abducted some weeks ago during a humanitarian mission to support Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

“Governor Babagana Umara Zulum is deeply pained and extremely worried by the gruesome execution of the aid workers who lost their lives while trying to save IDPs through humanitarian activities.

“The governor mourns these heroes and shares the grief of their families and employers: Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Action Against Hunger, Reach International, International Rescue Committee, and condoles with the United Nations Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, (UNOCHA)”, the statement said.

Gusau noted that Governor Zulum has, in his absence, directed a government delegation to immediately visit families of the aid workers to participate in funeral activities and pay condolence visits to affected humanitarian partners through UNOCHA.

The statement also added that the governor wants fresh ideas that would be the way out of the insurgency.

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