By Augustine Rufus, Katsina and Onimisi Alao, Yola
What would the world look like without the Red Cross and Red Crescent Society and other humanitarian aid societies? Sordid? Maybe worse. This is why the rising incidences of abduction, killing and maiming of workers of these societies by Boko Haram, ISWAP and bandits call for concern. Gboyega Alaka, Joel Duku in Borno/Yobe, Augustine Rufus in Katsina and Onimisi Alao in Yola report.
September 26, 2019 marked another major low in the insurgency-pronged life of the Nigerian nation, as its president, Muhammadu Buhari was ‘forced’ to publicly lament the killing of another aid worker by the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) faction of the insurgent Boko haram in far away New York.
That lamentation came on the heels of a video released by ISWAP, detailing the gruesome murder, with the president condemning the spate of kidnap and murder of aid workers who daily make sacrifices and risk their lives to provide succour for traumatised people.
He also praised the humanitarian spirit and resilience of the aid workers in spite of the risks and pledged his government’s commitment to securing their lives, “using every possible means at the disposal of government.”
The statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, also read: “We give assurances that efforts will be intensified by this government, working with neighbouring states, to free all hostages. We will practically and completely erase terrorism from this country and the entire sub-region.”
But how many more of such pledges will the Nigerian government make? Besides, such pledges pale in the face of reported killings and depletion of the Nige rian military, as news of soldiers’ killings regularly stream out of the troubled zones. How can a group that cannot save or protect itself protect others?
Two months before that New York lamentation, precisely July 18, news had streamed out, of the killing of two aid workers on the bill of Action Against Hunger by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, who had attacked their convoy on the Maiduguri-Damasak Road. Two female staff were also abducted in the attack, leaving the humanitarian community in despair. Action Against Hunger by the way is a global organisation committed to ending world hunger. Even though the army dilly-dallied in confirming the news, Reuters later confirmed it, stating that “One Action Against Hunger staff, two drivers and three other health workers were missing, following an attack on their convoy in Nigeria’s restive Northeast region.
The NGO also confirmed that one driver was killed, stating that, “We are deeply saddened by this tragic incident as these colleagues are dedicated to providing life-saving assistance to individuals and family.”
About a year before, in September, 2018, Reuters had also reported the killing of an aid worker, Hauwa Mohammed Liman and Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa, an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) midwife by ISWA militants. Three women, Hauwa Mohammed Liman, Alice Loksha and Saifura Hussaini Ahmed Khorsa, had been working in the town of Rann when they were abducted by the Islamists along with two other colleagues. The militants had threatened in a video that they would kill at least one hostage if their demands were not met by their deadline and had thus made good their threat.
The federal government, in response to Liman’s killing, had said through its Information Minister, Lai Muhammed that, “We are deeply pained by this killing, just like we were by the recent killing of the first aid worker. However, we will keep the negotiations open and continue to work to free the innocent women who remain in the custody of their abductors.”
Again the minister’s statement exposed the helplessness of the government at saving or protecting these aid workers, and literally puts everyone in a dilemma. This is not to forget that several health workers administering vaccinations have also been variously attacked and sometimes, killed. The trend therefore brings to fore the BIG question: Are these aid workers endangered species.
Endangered species?
The Nation’s Borno/Yobe correspondent reports that the noble efforts of the humanitarian aid workers is being threatened with this increased abductions and killings in the Northeast region by the insurgents. The brutal execution of Hauwa Liman, Alice Locha and the chilling narratives of some of the abductees in Boko haram doctored video mes sages have left many families devastated.
Aside the very recent execution of the Action Against Hunger staff on the backdrop of claims that the Nigerian government reneged on the terms of agreement, the abduction of staffs of the University of Maiduguri on oil exploration mission in Lake Chad has also created more causes for concern. To this extent, many who summon courage to take up these jobs are now having to do so secretly, for fear of putting their loved ones through untold trauma.
Habibat Sani (not real name) told The Nation that he took a job with one of the international NGOs and was posted to Banki in Borno in 2017 without the knowledge of her family in Gombe.
She said it took a lot of courage and pain to convince her mother to let her go and work in Maiduguri at a time when bombs and IEDs were going off on hourly basis. She dared not tell any of her relatives that Banki, one of the territories held by Boko haram was her station.
Habibat said her 6 months’ contract in Banki with her organisation was like six decades for her, as she kept searching for a new job to take her out of the ‘danger zone’. Her fear was further aggravated when one night, the insurgents paid a visit to the military formation in the area which was also their place of abode.
“My fears increased when some of our colleagues were abducted in Rann. But thank God I have overcome that fears now,” Habibat informed.
Bullet-proof car not enough security
In the same vein, Abdullahi, who works as a driver with one of the United Agencies in Maiduguri expressed his fears, when he told our reporter that “the bullet proof car he drives in with his bosses is not enough to secure his life.
“The irony of the whole thing is that these bullet proof cars that we use are not always with us. I go to the market and other places. In such places, one is vulnerable to any form of attack by the insurgents, be it bombs or IEDs or gun fire exchanges,” he said.
Executive Director, Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (YOSEMA), Dr. Mohammed Goje, himself a former field hu manitarian worker before his appointment, admitted the fears of the aid workers in the region but stated categorically that the joy of putting smiles on the faces of distraught people is the driving force for many of them.
“No one is born a humanitarian worker but the desire and feeling is developed over time in the course of the work.”
Although he admitted that his work is more of programming and decision-making as head of the State emergency agency, Goje said, “I still lead my team to respond to emergencies as they happen with full commitment.”
Going down memory lane, he said, “When I joined this work in 2015, I was asked during my interview if I would be going to Maiduguri and my answers was, ‘Yes, I will be going to Maiduguri, that is where my par ents live.’ They were shocked or even doubtful that I was going to stay there. Of course, there is always pressure from the people outside, especially family members that you are risking your life. There is also the fear of misinterpretations as to why foreigners are spending money on our people and all sorts of conspiracy theories. But if you don’t do the work, someone else will do it.”
He admitted that, “There is the fear of personal attack from the people accusing you of so many things, but as an aid worker, the joy supersedes the fears. Besides, nobody was born an aid worker; you just develop the feeling over time in the course of doing your work and you just can’t see yourself stopping. Rather, you work hard at it and do it better.”
Speaking on what keeps him going on the job, the Yobe Emergency agency boss, said, “The driving force is that feeling that you develop over time inside you that you are a source of joy to somebody who has been in captive for a very long time or who has not eaten or has lost hope completely about life and you come in as hope.
“Another reason is the fact that many people are relying on you for food and other needs. So when you go out and there is an attack, that feeling will always push you forward to reach out. As head of a humanitarian agency, I also have that drive to come back and solicit for food and the livelihood of those affected population to be taken care of.’
Another humanitarian worker with an international organisation in Yusfari local government, who opted to speak anonymously, said their fears on the job are obvious, especially in the face of physical attacks, kidnapping and stuff in the hands of recalcitrant insurgents.
He however noted that their organisations are very conscious of the dangers and therefore put in place safety measures to minimise such attacks .
“I do fear personally, but one thing that is certain is that no organisation allows her workers to go to such dangerous areas. What they do is to look for the nearest safe place and relocate the affected population to access the services that we provide.
“For instance, we cannot go to Sambisa looking for people who are trapped there to give them food in the name of humanitarian aid. That is suicide. Even the military get prepared before they venture into such areas and I’m sure you know the story that they don’t come back in one piece,” he said.
He however said a major disappointing trend to their work, is the apprehension and suspicion by some benefitting communities that they are spies of the western world.
“It is unfortunate that there are some communities that see us as spies to the white people. They just believe that we are working as agents of the western world and for the money and not the services that we render. Even the security operatives are having serious issues with the NGOs recently and this calls for concern.”
Behind the enemy’s line
In Katsina, which has suffered more from bandits’ attacks than Boko haram, the story is the same, though with some human touch.
Saifullahi Hamza from Batsari told our correspondence of how bandits sometimes show the compassionate side of them by letting them go about their duties without hindrance.
“We were on duty in Batsari Village near the strongholds of the bandits and usually come across them and the Miyetti Allah in the forest. There was a time they warned us to stop coming to their side, but we told them we are volunteer aid workers looking for people suffering from fever, body pain or even polio. We also told them if they had any such persons, they should bring them to us for treatment. On hearing that, they loosened up and told us, ‘If that is the case, we have no problems, you can go on doing your job peacefully.
Since then, we haven’t had any problems with them. There have been times when they have even used their motorcycles to take us deep into the forest to give medication to their people.
Just two days ago, a girl went to Sabon Garin Dumburuwa with aid volunteers and they were accosted by bandits. But on realising that they were aid workers, they simply said, ‘Oh it’s you,’ and went away without uttering a word.
Isa Ibrahim Dahiru, another aid worker in Faskari also shared his story. “One day, while on duty, I went to fetch water for my colleagues in Faskari Village; some of the bandits stopped me and asked where I was coming from. I told them. They said ‘Please can you help us with even one jerry can?’ I told them, ‘Sorry, but I got it for some people on duty.’ Few minutes after, they came back and one of them insulted me and said from where was I coming? I told him I was the one who gave them water earlier, so one of them came to my rescue, telling him he shouldn’t insult me, that it is not good.
“However, by the time we were about to leave, they suddenly surrounded us, each one with an AK47. I started praying: “From God we came, and to Him we will return.”
“Luckily, we were rescued by their leader, who told them that if they continued attacking us, one day, they would need us to come to their aid but won’t find us.
“That was how we escaped death. Less than a week later, they attacked one Alhaji Sule at Birnin Kogo. I remember telling him to desist from going to that area but he refused. They took his motorcycle and money.
Dahiru however observed that these men, despite their heinous activities, are not without religious knowledge. “Most of them around that Birnin Kogo area were born there, that is why they wear masks to cover their faces. Most of them are also aware of Red Cross and its activities. There was a time one of them pretended not to know us, but he was reminded by his colleagues that we are the people who give polio vaccine to their children. I have been in their hands more than four times, but they have always set me free. There was a time they snatched our handsets, only to return just the sim cards. However, as humanitarian NGOs, we don’t like relaying such stories to people because it put fears in people’s heart, some who may be thinking of taking up our kind of career.”
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