Presidency reacts to video on abducted humanitarian workers in Borno

The Presidency has condemned the latest video released by Boko Haram insurgents showing some abducted humanitarian aid workers calling on government and Nigerians to rescue them from their captors.

Malam Garba Shehu, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, made the condemnation in a statement in Abuja.

According to him, the latest video has created urgency for the security agencies, especially the secret service, to ensure the release of those held captive by terrorist groups.

The presidential aide said: “The Presidency has been briefed by the responsible government agency about the disturbing video showing our citizens, the humanitarian aid workers, held captive.

“Presidency has been given assurances that contact is being made and the captors are being talked to.

“Besides these aid workers, there are some others about whom this engagement is about-Leah Sharibu, a religious leader and all the others.

“These discussions have been ongoing even before this time and what this latest incident has done is to bring urgency to the efforts that the secret service is making.

“Government is making contacts in the hope that the captors will see reason to not visit hardship or even harm on these innocent individuals. Government is working.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the said video, which had gone viral, showed the only lady among the six abducted aid workers calling on the Christian Association of Nigeria, the Federal Government and Nigerians to come to their rescue.