Eva (73) wanted to help: Aid worker kidnapped in Niger!
Agadez (Niger) - Where is Eva Gretzmacher (73)? Armed men have abducted a 73-year-old Austrian woman in Niger.
The development aid worker has been living in the bitterly poor African country of Niger for 28 years, setting up an education center in the Shara city of Agadez and campaigning for the advancement of women in particular. On Saturday, Eva Gretzmacher (73) was kidnapped.
According to"Aïr Info Agadez", armed men forced their way into the Austrian woman's house and forced security guard Salissou to open the door. Then everything happened very quickly. The 73-year-old was dragged out of the house and made to sit in the getaway car - a Toyota Land Cruiser. Then they disappeared.
The Austrian Foreign Ministry confirmed the incident to the Austrian media. They are in close contact with the local authorities, they said.
Development worker Eva Gretzmacher kidnapped in Niger
The kidnapping of the Austrian woman has deeply moved the local people, reports "Aïr Info Agadez". Gretzmacher is regarded as a highly respected personality who is deeply integrated into the local culture.
With her educational center "Amanay", Eva G. offers sewing courses to young women and supports local NGOs in vegetable cultivation. In cooperation with local schools, the development worker runs computer and language courses and organizes leisure activities. Her abduction comes as a shock to the people of Agadez.
It is still completely unclear where Eva Gretzmacher is now, what demands the kidnappers are making and who they are.
There were already threats to kidnap Gertzbacher in 2021. The courageous woman refused to be deterred and carried on with her work anyway.
Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world. With sad regularity, its more than 27 million inhabitants are plagued by droughts, famines and uprisings by militant Islamists. In 2023, the military seized power. However, the junta has not yet succeeded in mastering the tense security situation.
The last time five French nationals were kidnapped in the Agadez region was in 2010, when the al-Qaeda offshoot AQIM claimed responsibility for the crime. The abductees were released in 2013 after lengthy negotiations, reports AFP.
The Federal Foreign Office is currently advising against travel to Niger, and German nationals are strongly advised to leave the crisis-ridden country.