A screen grab taken from a video released on July 25, 2019 by the IS-linked Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) purportedly shows a female aid worker from the NGO Action Against Hunger (AFC) and five male colleagues kidnapped after their convoy was ambushed in Kennari, a village outside Damasak Town near the border with Niger, northeast Nigeria last week. – Aid group ‘Action Against Hunger ‘ said that one of its staff members along with three health workers and two drivers were missing after their convoy was attacked on July 18, 2019, near the border with Niger. The hostages are believed to be held in the ISWAP enclave on the shores of Lake Chad. ISWAP is a splinter group of Boko Haram that swore allegiance in 2016 to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. (Photo by Handout / IS-linked Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) / AFP)
By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – THE Presidency on Thursday expressed worry over the recent video released by the terrorist group showing some abducted Nigerians.
A screen grab taken from a video released on July 25, 2019 by the IS-linked Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) purportedly shows a female aid worker from the NGO Action Against Hunger (AFC) and five male colleagues kidnapped after their convoy was ambushed in Kennari, a village outside Damasak Town near the border with Niger, northeast Nigeria last week. – Aid group ‘Action Against Hunger ‘ said that one of its staff members along with three health workers and two drivers were missing after their convoy was attacked on July 18, 2019, near the border with Niger. The hostages are believed to be held in the ISWAP enclave on the shores of Lake Chad. ISWAP is a splinter group of Boko Haram that swore allegiance in 2016 to IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. (Photo by Handout / IS-linked Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) / AFP)
The Presidency said that the latest video has created urgency for the security agencies especially the secret services in the efforts to ensuring the release of those on the captivity of terrorist groups.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu in Abuja read, “The Presidency has been briefed by the responsible government agency about the disturbing video showing our citizens, the humanitarian aid workers held captive.
” Presidency has been given assurances that contact is being made and the captors are being talked to.
“Besides these aid workers, there are some others about whom this engagement is about-Leah Sharibu, a religious leader and all the others.
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“These discussions have been ongoing even before this time and what this latest incident has done is to bring urgency to the efforts that the secret service is making.
“Government is making contacts, in the hope that the captors will see reason to not visit hardship or even harm on these innocent individuals. Government is working.”
Abducted Aid Worker In Borno Cries For Help In New Video | Sahara Reporters
In a video, the victim, Grace Taku, appealed to the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the international community to come to her rescue.@ACF_Nigeria @ACF_EU
READ MORE: https://t.co/VagzwRmgz6 pic.twitter.com/rPoL8z7NyM— Sahara Reporters (@SaharaReporters) July 25, 2019
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