UN calls for protection of civilians in North-East

chika ebuzor

August 18, 2017 7:42 AM

Kallon also called on the Federal Government to complement military effort with strong political will in the counter-insurgency campaign.

Army launches mobile strike force to crush Boko Haram - Photo for illustrative

The UN has called on critical stakeholders to ensure the protection of civilians in the Boko Haram insurgents ravaged areas of the Northeast.

Mr Edward Kallon, the Country Coordinator, UN Coordinating Office for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), made the call at the Bakassi Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) on Thursday in Maiduguri.

“We are calling on all stakeholders of this conflict to ensure that civilians are not caught in the crisis.

‘’I am also calling on all stakeholders to put people first in trying to find solutions to this crisis.

“I also tried to convey that the only durable solution is for people to go back to their homes and start re-building their lives”.

Kallon said the visit to the camp was part of activities lined up to mark the 2017 World Humanitarian Day.

He said that the day was set aside to mobilise the international community to rally support for people affected by humanitarian crisis and pay tribute to aid workers who help them.

He stressed the commitments of the UN to protection and assistance to civilians and aid workers in crisis prone areas.

Kallon said that the UN would collaborate with government and development partners to provide food, shelter and health support to displaced persons in the Northeast and Lake Chad Basin.

“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for enhanced respect for international humanitarian and human rights law, and protection of civilians, including humanitarian and medical workers, as well as civilian infrastructure.

“He also calls for the prevention of forced displacement, and durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons”.

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Also commenting, the Borno state deputy governor, Alhaji Usman Durkwa, said the state had initiated projects aimed at improving the well being of the displaced persons.

Durkwa said that the state government had also implemented programmes to assist the displaced persons to return to their communities and rebuild their lives.

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