It is with profound grief that we confirm the assassination of Ishaku Yakubu, Action Against Hunger staff member from Monguno, and four other aid workers who were taken hostage by a non-state armed group in Borno State, North East Nigeria, on June 8, 2020. The aid workers were not working at the time of their abduction. Our thoughts are with their families, friends, and colleagues in Nigeria.
Action Against Hunger condemns, in the strongest possible terms, these assassinations. We deeply regret that our calls for their release were not answered.
The capture of humanitarian workers violates International Humanitarian Law and all the rules for the protection of workers, humanitarian organizations, and partners. This unjustifiable assassination reflects the immense difficulty faced by independent and impartial humanitarian actors, and the violence we are exposed to every day to fulfil our mission, as well as to promote the values of humanity and solidarity that are more necessary than ever. Once again, the question arises as to the balance between concern for the safety of staff and the continuation of lifesaving activities for hundreds of thousands of people.
We do not have additional comments at this stage. We request that the public and journalists respect the dignity and the privacy of the victims by not sharing images or videos that may circulate on the Internet.
