The United Kingdom on Sunday said the seven foreign workers held hostage in Nigeria by Islamic group, Ansaru, are likely dead.
But the United Kingdom said contrary to the claim by Ansaru, a splinter group of Boko Haram, the British Government never made any attempt to rescue the hostages.
The name of the British hostage, one of the seven that worked for Setraco Nigeria Limited, was given as Brendan Vaughan.
The British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, said in a statement on Sunday: “It is with deep sadness that I must confirm that a British construction worker, held hostage in Nigeria since 16 February, is likely to have been killed at the hands of his captors, along with six other foreign nationals who we believe were also tragically murdered.
“This was an act of cold-blooded murder, which I condemn in the strongest terms.”
The Italian Government appeared certain the construction workers have been killed.
A statement by the Italian Foreign Ministry said: “Our checks conducted in coordination with the other countries concerned lead us to believe that the news of the killing of the hostages seized last month is true.”
The same position was taken by the Greek Government.
The Foreign Ministry of Greece said in a statement: “The information we have shows that the Greek citizen is dead.
“The ministry has informed his family.”
All the foreign governments whose nationals were killed denied any attempt to rescue the hostages.
Hague said: “I am grateful to the Nigerian Government for their unstinting help and cooperation.
“We are utterly determined to work with them to hold the perpetrators of this heinous act to account, and to combat the terrorism which so blights the lives of people in Northern Nigeria and in the wider region.”
The Foreign Ministry of Greece said: “Based on the information we have, there was no rescue operation.”
The Italian Foreign Ministry said: “It’s an atrocious act of terrorism, against which the Italian government expresses its firmest condemnation, and which has no explanation, if not that of barbarous and blind violence.”
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