Killing Of Aid Workers: UN Secretary General Urges Nigeria To Identify, Prosecute Culprits

The Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) , Antonio Guterres, has called on the Nigerian government to apprehend terrorists ravaging the Northeast and bring them to book.

He noted that the activities of insurgents draw a nation backward.

Guterres said so in a statement (dated July 23) issued by Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General.

“The Secretary-General strongly condemns the killing, on 22 July, of five civilians, including three aid workers from ACTED, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), and Action Against Hunger (ACF), by an armed group in northern Borno State, northeastern Nigeria.

“He calls on the Nigerian authorities to spare no effort in identifying and swiftly bringing to justice the perpetrators of these killings,” the statement added.

He also condoled with the government and the families of the humanitarian workers.

“The Secretary-General expresses his deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to the Government and people of Nigeria.

“The Secretary-General reiterates that attacks by a party to an armed conflict that are directed against civilians, including those who are aid workers, violate international humanitarian law. International human rights law and international humanitarian law must be fully respected, including the obligation to protect civilians,” the statement read.

Recall that the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Edward Kallon, had faulted the ‘illegal checkpoints’ in the region, stressing that it aided the activities of terrorists.