The UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria has condemned Saturday’s attack on a food convoy in Borno which left four people dead.
Mr Edward Kallon said in a statement on Tuesday that the attack put many lives at risk as it may cause limitations on the delivery of life-saving supplies to victims of the insurgency.
His comments come three days after suspected Boko Haram terrorists ambushed a food convoy of one of its agencies, World Food Programme, which was taking food to Internally Displaced Persons in Ngala, Borno State.
READ ALSO: No UN Official Was Killed In Borno Food Trucks Attack – Nigerian Army
WFP Communication Associate, Adedeji Ademigbuji on Sunday said four people, including the driver of a WFP-hired truck and a driver’s assistant, were killed in the incident.
Kallon in the statement strongly condemned the ambush saying violence attack against aid workers is unacceptable and should be avoided.
“Violence against convoys carrying humanitarian aid is unacceptable and can result in concerning limitations in our ability to provide life-saving relief to those who need it the most.
“We must ensure the safety of aid workers and aid convoys across the north-east of Nigeria, so people in need of assistance can access it in a timely manner and in sufficient quantity. Many lives are at risk,” he said.
The Nigerian Army on Monday, December 18 also reacted to attack noting that those killed in the attack were civilians and that no United Nations staff were killed in the attack.
READ ALSO: Four Killed During Attack On WFP Food Trucks In Borno
Kallon said further that the United Nations and its partners operate in the north-east of Nigeria in order to provide life-saving assistance to 6.9 million people affected by the brutal conflict. Humanitarian operations are carried out following the four basic humanitarian principles of operational independence, humanity, impartiality and neutrality and should be respected as such.
Since January 2017, despite major challenges, humanitarian operations in north-east Nigeria have managed to assist over 5 million conflict-affected people in the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, including 3 million with food security interventions, 936,000 with nutritional support, 5 million with health care assistance, and over 1.3 million with safe drinking water.
