The Nigerian Army says it is suspending operations of the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) in the North East.

In a statement on Friday, the Deputy Director of Public Relations, Theatre Command Operation Lafiya Dole, Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, said the decision was because the organisation had allegedly left its primary humanitarian role in the region.

He said, “This has become inevitable since the organization has abdicated its primary duty of catering for the wellbeing of children and the vulnerable through humanitarian activities and now engaged in training selected persons for clandestine activities to continue sabotaging the counter-terrorism and counterinsurgency efforts of troops through spurious and unconfirmed allegations bothering on alleged violations of human rights by the military.”

Nwachukwu further alleged that some international humanitarian agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) were engaging in activities that could jeopardise the fight against terrorism.

He also accused the organisations of training and deploying spies who support the insurgents and their sympathisers.

“It is baffling to note that some of these organizations have been playing the terrorists’ script with the aim to continue demoralizing the troops who are doing so much to protect the lives of victims of Boko Haram Terrorism and safeguard them from the wanton destruction of property and means the of livelihood.

“The Theatre Command considers the actions of these organizations as a direct assault and insult on the sensibilities of Nigerians, as they tend to benefit more from expanding the reign of terror on our people,” Nwachukwu added.

He, therefore, appealed to “NGOs and members of humanitarian agencies to keep to their legitimate norms in the discharge of their acclaimed humanitarian duties.”