Responding to the murder of aid worker Hauwa Liman by Boko Haram, Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, 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 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 emerge, 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.”
Earlier today, the International Committee of the Red Cross confirmed that Hauwa Liman had been executed while in captivity.
Background
Three health workers – Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa, Hauwa Liman and Alice Loksha – were abducted in March when Boko Haram fighters attacked the town of Rann in Borno State in northeast Nigeria. Rann is home to at least 40,000 internally displaced persons. Boko Haram has now killed Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khurso (in September 2018) and Hauwa Liman.
For more information or to arrange an interview please contact:
Lucy Scholey, Amnesty International Canada (English): +1 613-744-7667 ext. 236; lscholey@amnesty.ca
