As the world reacts with outrage to the killing of a second aid worker, Hauwa Liman, by a faction of Boko Haram, her distraught family are holding out hope that she might still be alive.

Hauwa who works with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was killed by the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the Nigerian government confirmed on Monday in a statement condemning the act.

Her father Mohammed Liman says the heart-breaking news, barely a month after another aid worker – Saifura Ahmed – who was abducted with her in March was killed, is hard to believe.

The family had expected that the insurgents would give the government time to meet their demands. And although the government, ICRC and many others across the globe have condemned the murder, her family remains in doubt that she is dead.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has spoke with Mohammed Liman, father of Hauwa Liman who was killed by Boko Haram terrorists.

He assured Hauwa’s father that the Nigerian government did everything possible to save his daughter’s life, lamenting that all the efforts turned out unsuccessful.

President Buhari regretted that her commitment to helping victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in the northeastern part of the country ended in such a brutal way.

He also spoke with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Mr Peter Maurer, and extended condolences on the loss of the aid worker.

The President commended the ICRC for the great work they had been doing in Nigeria by providing healthcare services to victims of insurgency in some of the most affected areas.

He appealed to the organisation to continue its services in the country, and not give up, despite the unfortunate and painful loss of their staff.

According to the President, Nigeria needs the ICRC and the government will continue to do all it can to protect the staff of the organisation.

He added that the government would continue to ensure the safety of other aid workers that are providing much-needed humanitarian services in the North East region, which had been affected by almost a decade-long conflict.

Hauwa was abducted by a faction of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), along with some of her colleagues in March this year.

The news of her death broke on Monday, a day after the deadline the terrorists gave to the Federal Government to meet their demands expired.

While the Federal Government and humanitarian organisations such as the Red Cross and Amnesty International condemned the action of the terrorists, Hauwa’s family believes she might still be alive.

“We feel so bad and we are in doubt if she is dead or alive because we didn’t expect her to be killed so suddenly,” her father told Channels Television at the family home in Maiduguri, Borno State.

“In fact, we are in doubt because, unless we see her corpse or any evidence that shows she is dead, we still believe that she is living,” he added.