After Kajuru Killings, Gunmen Shoot 1, Kidnap 4 Aid Workers In Rivers

Less than a week after gunmen killed British and Nigerian aid workers at a tourist center in Kaduna, an aid worker of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has been shot by gunmen in Rivers state.

While the NEMA aid worker survived the gunshot, four other senior staffs of the agency were kidnapped by the gunmen.

The incident took place on Tuesday in Abua-Odual Local Government Area (LGA), according to PRNigeria.

The officials were said to be on an official assignment in the state when the incident occurred.

According to the statement, the aide workers were in the state to conduct an enumeration exercise on farmers affected by flood and conflict in the state and who are to benefit from the government’s National Emergency Agricultural Intervention Fund.

“One of the NEMA staff who was shot in the leg escaped being kidnapped alongside his colleagues after he pretended to be dead. He has been admitted at an undisclosed health centre for medical attention.

“The abducted officers travelled in a NEMA Hilux van, which was not in good condition and even broke down several times on their way. It was a personal car of one of the NEMA staff that came to their rescue to continue the journey before the incident.

“They were neither paid the travelling allowances nor provided with adequate security or accommodation before they were mandated by NEMA management in Abuja to travel on that emergency assignment. But thank God, they have friends and relations in the states they were deployed to. So, they temporarily stayed and lodge themselves with their relations and friends,” a source said.

The development is coming on the heels of the killing of a British expatriate, Faye Mooney, and another Nigerian aid worker at the Kajuru Castle in Kajuru Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Friday, April 19, 2019, by gunmen.

The gunmen were reported to have also kidnapped three other persons during the attack.

‘’The bandits shot endlessly and in the process, shot dead two persons, including an expatriate lady and took away three others,” DSP Yakubu Sabo, the Public Relations Officer, Kaduna State Police Command, had told reporters.