Borno Beefs Up Security for Aid Workers After Boko Haram Ambush

Borno Beefs Up Security for Aid Workers After Boko Haram Ambush

The Borno state government has initiated efforts to mobilise more security for aid workers in the state following an attack by terrorist group, Boko Haram which forced the United Nations (UN) to temporarily suspend its humanitarian efforts in the state.

We’ve temporarily suspended aid deliveries in Borno #Nigeria after our humanitarian convoy was attacked https://t.co/UMILODuOfZ @guardian

— UNICEF (@UNICEF) July 29, 2016

Boko Haram had on Thursday laid an ambush for a convoy of aid workers comprised mostly of volunteers of UN agencies working to deliver aid to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria’s north-east.

The Borno state government on Friday stated that it is in talks with security agencies to provide adequate security for the aid workers.

The Nation reports that Deputy Governor Mamman Durkwa told reporters in Maiduguri that government was disturbed by the incident.

“We are going to collaborate with all security agencies to mobilize additional security for aid workers in the state to prevent a re-occurrence of what happened on Thursday,” he said.

The deputy governor also faulted reports that the UN office in the state had suspended aid services in the state following the attack.

”The issue of suspension of aid work by the UN in the state is not true.

“I met the UN officials and they told me that the attack would not deter them from doing their humanitarian work.

”Throughout our discussions, there was no mention of suspension of humanitarian work in the state,” Durkwa said.

The Nigerian Army and the United Nations Children Emergency Fund (UNICEF) had on Friday confirmed that two soldiers and three civilians, including UNICEF officials and a contractor, were wounded in Thursday’s attack at Meleri village, a few kilometres from Kawuri.

The UN, early on Saturday, described the attack on aid workers as an attack on people who most need the assistance and aid.

#Nigeria: an attack on our humanitarian convoy is an attack on the people who most need the assistance & aid pic.twitter.com/A4HQ3BTcm1

— UNICEF (@UNICEF) July 30, 2016

UNICEF spokeswoman Doune Porter was however reported to have told newsmen on Friday that aid will continue in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, which is  hosting up to a million refugees.

The chief of army staff, Lt-General Tukur Buratai, visited the wounded in the hospital on Friday. He commended the doctors and the hospital staff for their efforts in giving necessary care and treatment to them