The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has described the killing of four aid workers by Boko Haram in Borno State, on Saturday, as a clear desecration of Islam which preaches sacred inviolability of the individual.
A statement issued to the press in Kaduna and signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the forum, Alhaji Muhammad Ibrahim Biu, said it was shocked and saddened by the unpalatable news of yet another killing of four aid workers, including a woman, by the Boko Haram terrorists, on Saturday, in Borno State.
“It will be recalled that sometimes last year, two female aid workers with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) were abducted by the terrorists during an attack on the military base in Rann, Borno State, and were subsequently executed by the terrorists on the grounds that the Federal Government failed to meet up some of their demands.
“The recent action of the terrorists, to say the least, was callous, barbaric, inhuman and totally against the tenets of Islam and humanity.
“The killing is a clear desecration of Islam which preaches sacred inviolability of the individual.
“The Federal Government’s assurances that it has been working with some friendly countries and other international organisations to save the lives of the innocent aid workers and other kidnapped female students have not yielded the desired result.
“ACF, therefore, urges the Federal Government to review its negotiation strategy with the terrorists and ensure that all kidnapped persons still in the captivity of the Boko Haram, including Leah Sharibu, and the Chibok girls, are rescued and released to their families.
“ACF urges the Federal Government to intensify its rescue operations in order to assuage the fears of Nigerians on what may happen to those still in captivity.
“To this end, ACF extends its condolences to the families of those who were brutally executed by the terrorists for serving humanity and equally commiserates with the families of those still in captivity,” the statement said.