British aid worker and former Kurdistan university lecturer killed in Nigeria

A British aid worker and former university lecturer in the autonomous Kurdistan Region was shot dead in Nigeria after gunmen stormed a holiday resort on Friday, kidnapping three people and killing two others.

The British High Commission confirmed Faye Mooney’s death, an employee of the US non-governmental aid agency Mercy Corps.

A Nigerian man was also killed in the attack on the resort, located in northwestern Nigeria, 60 km (37 miles) south of Kaduna, as three other people were also kidnapped Friday evening, local police and the British High Commission said.

“Faye served two years at our [Soran] University. She was a bright and intelligent woman with a deep love for life and people who had never been happier,” said Soran University’s Faculty of Arts in its statement paying tribute to the former lecturer.

“…Faye did what she wanted; nothing held her back. We are honored and blessed to have known Faye. She was truly a blessing in our lives and we will miss her. We extend our deepest sympathy to her family and friends. May her soul rest in peace, a true friend to Kurds with an amazing heart.”

Kidnappings take place in Nigeria on a regular basis, with both local and foreigners are targeted, namely for ransoms.

Mooney’s family also paid tribute to her, telling British news outlet The Guardian: “Faye was an inspiration to her family, friends, students and work colleagues. Her bravery and her belief in a better society took her to places others feared. We are so proud of who she was and of everything she achieved in her short life. Her memory will always be cherished.”

In a statement posted on social media, chief executive of Mercy Corps, Neal Keny-Guyer, also paid tribute to Mooney, stating she was a “dedicated and passionate communications and learning specialist.”

Northern Nigeria has been afflicted by Boko Haram and an Islamic State insurgency, as well as clashes between farmers and herders that have resulted in hundreds of deaths.

In the northwestern Kaduna region of Nigeria, kidnappings have considerably increased, mainly on the road to the capital, Abuja, where armed attacks persist.

In January, four tourists, two American and two Canadians, were abducted in Kaduna by unknown gunmen in what was reported as an ambush.

Editing by Nadia Riva