A United Nations humanitarian convoy was ambushed by Boko Haram jihadists Thursday in Nigeria’s restive northeast, leaving several people wounded, the UN children’s agency and the Nigerian army said.
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The Nigeria Army has said troops in continuation of clearance operations against remnants of Boko Haram militants carried out a successful ambush of the militants in Damboa, Borno state.
“We are working at full strength in the Borno state capital Maiduguri”, UNICEF Nigeria Representative Jean Gough said in a statement late Friday.
The spokesperson pointed out that two million people remained inaccessible in Borno state, emphasizing the need to scale up assistance.
He says most of these people have been in hiding for more than one year because of the dangers posed by Boko Haram near the border with Cameroon.
A source who was close to the action has revealed that troops from the Nigerian intervened timeously in the attack, forcing insurgents to retreat while saving those who had been injured.
“Our work continues, but the level of violence, even in newly accessible areas, means we are struggling to get help to all those that need it”, said Jan Rogge of Oxfam in Nigeria. All other UNICEF, IOM and UNFPA staff are safe.
The attack prompted a temporary suspension of United Nations humanitarian assistance missions in the area pending a reevaluation of the security situation, a UNICEF statement said.
“The Nigerian government, which is receiving significant amounts of foreign aid, needs to understand that its main priority is to deal with Boko Haram, and also to make sure Nigeria does not suffer the worst humanitarian disaster in its history”.
Three humanitarian staff members and two soldiers were injured. With more than 2.7 million people uprooted from their homes, the Lake Chad basin is now home to one of the African continent’s biggest humanitarian crises.
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Hunger is ravaging Borno state, with 250 000 children suffering from acute malnutrition and 20% of them are now unassisted.
