Rann Boko Haram attack: U.S., UNICEF, IOM, UN, condemn killing of aid workers

By Isaac Aregbesola, Prudence Arobani

The United States and others on Friday, condemned the killing of three Nigerian aid workers in a Boko Haram attack on a military installation in Borno.

The U.S. Embassy in a statement in Abuja pledged its support to Nigerians, ‘’as they bravely work to ensure their nation’s security.

“We extend our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to every family whose loved ones have been affected by this and other terrorist acts.

“We voice our heartfelt solidarity with all those humanitarian workers who work every day to help Nigerians affected by the ongoing insurgency.

US also expressed sympathy for ‘’all those security forces and Nigerian citizens working together to end this terrorist violence,’’ the Embassy said.

The Embassy said that the U.S. remained firmly committed to ensuring humanitarian workers were protected and able to do their lifesaving work.

In the same vein, the Coordinator, UN Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Nigeria, Edward Kallon also condemned the killing of three workers by the insurgents.

Kallon in a statement by OCHA Head of communications, Samantha Newport, on Friday in Abuja said that apart from those who died and the injured, a female nurse was missing, feared abducted.

He said that two of the deceased were contractors with the international organisation on migration while the third victim was a medical doctor employed as a third party consultant with UNICEF.

The deceased were working as coordinators in the camp for 55,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) who fled their homes as a result of on-going crisis in the north-east.

“Aid workers put their lives on the line every single day to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable women, children and men.

“Our deepest condolences go to the families of the victims and our brave colleagues and we call on authorities to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice,” said Kallon.

He said that the UN was also very concerned about other civilians who might have been injured or killed in the attack.

The coordinator noted that the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s north-east, that had spilled over into the Lake Chad region was one of the most severe in the world today.

According to him about 7.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance in 2018 in the worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe and 6.1 million targeted for humanitarian assistance.

“Now in its ninth year, the crisis shows no sign of abating. Close to 80,000 people, including 55,000 internally displaced persons, currently reside in Rann and are supported with humanitarian assistance.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) have also deplored Boko Haram attack on Rann.

IOM said: “a large number of Boko Haram members armed with automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades and gun trucks attacked the military base in Rann’’.

The UN migration agency said some 55,000 people displaced by the conflict lived in a camp near the base.

“IOM staff reported that during the incident, four soldiers, four mobile police and three humanitarian workers were killed and another three humanitarian workers were injured.

“Two of those killed were IOM field colleagues,’’ Mohammed Abdiker, IOM Director of Operations and Emergencies said.

“We are outraged and saddened at the killings of two of our colleagues in an attack by Boko Haram in North East Nigeria last evening.

“They represented the best in us in assisting displaced civilians. We will miss them,’’ Abdiker said.

UNICEF, in a statement by Marie-Pierre Poirier, UNICEF Regional Director for West and Central Africa, also expressed shock on the attack against humanitarian workers in Rann.

Poirier said: “UNICEF is shocked by the attack on March 1, in Rann, Borno State, in which three aid workers lost their lives, three were injured and one is reportedly missing.

“One of these brave workers who lost their lives, and the nurse who is missing, were on the frontline providing critical services supported by UNICEF.

“The two others who were killed were working for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

“We strongly condemn this attack on selfless aid professionals, who were working in the most difficult humanitarian conditions.

“Alarmingly, the number of attacks on aid workers is increasing around the world, and we must stand together to reaffirm our commitment to protect them. Humanitarian workers should never be a target.

“UNICEF offers its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and to all IOM staff members. We will continue to work with the Government to ensure safe return of those missing.”

The UN statement, issued by its Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, had also strongly condemned the killing of the three aid workers in Rann town.