From Timothy Olanrewaju, Maiduguri
Outpouring of sympathies have continued to trail the killing of an aid worker, a soldier and injuring of a United Nations helicopter pilot by an errant soldier in Borno.
Borno governor, Babagana Zulum described the last Thursday incident as the sad, isolated, strange and probably caused by the mental state of the soldier who committed the act.
“This was a sad isolated incidence, the like of which we have not seen before, and which may not be unconnected with the mental health of the soldier involved,” Zulum said in a statement by his spokesman, Malam Isa Gusau.
The governor had on Friday wrote a condolence letter to the UN over the killing of the aid worker at Damboa, Borno’s troubled town located some 87 kilometres south of Maiduguri, the state capital.
He said he was shocked and deeply saddened by the incident
“My condolence goes to the family of Mrs Alem Muluseta, her colleagues at Medicine de Monde (DM), the whole Humanitarian Community and the United Nations, who continually make huge sacrifices to support our people,” the governor said.
He assured the humanitarian organisations in the state and the military of the continuous partnership of government for the execution of their mandate and interventions.
INGOs call for investigation
Forum of international NGOs in Nigeria (NIF) in its reaction, called for investigation into the incident.
The forum Media and Communication Coordinator, Ademilola Adesanya, in a statement, also expressed deep sadness over the killing of their colleagues.
“Our thoughts and condolences are with the family of our departed colleague,” the forum said even as it wished the injured helicopter pilot quick recovery.
On Thursday, a soldier in the counter-insurgency operation at Damboa, Borno’s town went berserk, killed an aid worker, a soldier and injured a helicopter pilot belonging to the Air Humanitarian services of the UN. The military has said it will investigate the incident for appropriate action.