Boko Haram: UN Aid Workers, Others Pull out of Rann IDP

Boko Haram: UN Aid Workers, Others Pull out of Rann IDP

Humanitarian workers of the United Nations and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) have been pulled out of Rann, Borno State after last week’s attack by Boko Haram militants that killed at least three aid workers.

This followed an announcement by the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) António Guterres, ordering the evacuation of all humanitarian personnel and the temporary suspension of all humanitarian deliveries in the area until the federal government apprehend and prosecute attackers.

Guterres maintained that attacks targeting civilians and civilian infrastructure violated international humanitarian law and would not be tolerated, TheNation writes.

“Those responsible for these and other atrocities in Nigeria must be apprehended and prosecuted,” the UN scribe said.

According to the UN, at least one other aid worker remains critically injured and another three are still missing while eight members of the Nigerian national security forces were also killed.

The Secretary-General expressed his deepest condolences to the affected aid workers, their families and to the Government and people of Nigeria.

Similarly, Doctors Without Borders, in a statement, also announced medical activities in Rann were suspended as 22 Nigerian and international staff were evacuated.

“We are deeply shocked by the loss of three humanitarian colleagues in Rann,” said Doctors Without Borders International President Dr. Joanne Liu in the release.

“These tragic deaths reflect the ruthless violence which the people trapped in Borno face daily.”

The roughly 40,000 people living in Rann had been relying almost entirely on Doctors Without Borders’ services to access health care, the group said.

“Leaving our patients, which include 60 children currently enrolled in our nutrition program, without medical assistance, is an extremely painful decision,” said Kerri Ann Kelly, Doctors Without Borders emergency coordinator in Nigeria.

“We will continue to evaluate how the situation evolves and we will return as soon as the conditions allow.”