Global human rights watchdog, Amnesty International, has condemned the recent killing of an international aid worker, Hauwa Liman by the Boko Haram insurgents, describing the incident as a war crime.
DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Ms Hauwa, who worked the International Committee of the Red Cross stationed at the Northeastern party of the country, was confirmed killed by the Boko Haram following the expiration of a deadline the insurgents gave.
Recall that Ms Hauwa and two other health workers – Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa and Alice Loksha – were abducted in March when the insurgents attacked the town of Rann in Borno State where they provided medical support to at least 40,000 internally displaced persons.
Reacting to the incident through a statement to DAILY NIGERIAN, the Country Director of the global watchdog, Osai Ojigho, said: “With yet another horrific killing of a humanitarian worker, Boko Haram has again demonstrated its brazen disregard for life.
“Hauwa Liman was providing desperately-needed humanitarian services to people affected by the conflict in the northeast of Nigeria. Her killing is a war crime. Under the international humanitarian law, all aid workers must be protected from attack.
“Boko Haram must immediately and unconditionally release the remaining health worker, Alice Loksha. As news of these grizzly killings emerges, the Nigerian authorities must re-double their efforts to rescue the hundreds of civilians still detained by Boko Haram – including 15-year-old Leah Sharibu, who was abducted from her school in Dapchi town, and the remaining Chibok girls.
“All those responsible for war crimes and other human rights violations and abuses in Nigeria must be brought to justice in a fair trial.”
