Boko Haram insurgents kill four UN aid workers, eight soldiers, abduct nurse

Agencies report

Ms Samantha Newport, Head of Communications, UNICEF Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Abuja, has informed News Agency of Nigeria that Boko Haram insurgents killed United Nations four aid workers, in a raid on Rann IDPs' camp in Borno State.

The deceased are; a medical doctor, an aid worker with the International Committee of Red Cross(ICRC) and two personnel of United Nations client organisation, International Organisation of Migration (IOM) deployed in Rann as camp managers.

Three aid workers were injured and one female nurse was later abducted. All the deceased according to the UNICEF communications head, were Nigerians working with the organisation.

The spokesperson disclosed that the insurgents attacked the Rann town, in Kala Balge Local Government Borno State, where Internal Displaced persons(IDP ) were camped at about 7pm on Thursday.

She further informed NAN that the UN will issue statement over the attack later. The Federal Government is yet to also make statement over the attack.

Edward Kallon, UN's humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria told AFP that ; "Aid workers put their lives on the line every single day to provide emergency assistance to vulnerable women, children and men.

"Our deepest condolences go to the families of the victims and our brave colleagues and we call on authorities to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice and account."

There was no immediate confirmation of deaths or injuries among the IDPs but a civilian militia source in Rann and a senior military figure in Maiduguri said eight soldiers were killed.

Mohammed Abdiker, IOM director of operations and emergencies, said the militants had "superior firepower" and were "armed with automatic weapons, rocket propelled grenades and gun trucks".

"We are outraged and saddened at the killings of two of our colleagues in an attack by Boko Haram in North East Nigeria last evening," he added.

Rann, where nearly 80,000 people are living and supported with humanitarian assistance, has been vulnerable to attacks before.

Boko Haram fighters killed nine people from the camp in September last year, as they worked on farms just outside the town.

Comments

MMA is a disgrace to Nigeria, the designer is a traitor – Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin writes VP Osinbajo

Oredola Adeola| Movie and Documentary producer, Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin Dudu, has exposed the level of rot at the Muritala Muhammed Airport, Lagos in an open letter written to Professor Yemi Osinbajo, Vice President. In the letter, the Documentary photographer, disclosed that the arrival system in Muritala Muhammed airport is a disgrace to Nigeria. He particularly noted that Nigeria has no aviation Minister, adding that whosoever designed the arrival system in MMA is a traitor. Tunde Alabi-Hundeyin He said, “Sir I’m directing my comments to you because I’m aware you toured that airport before the elections. They showed you the glittering lounges . However when you arrive in Nigeria or you go to receive someone arriving, it’s a horror story. It’s a total disgrace. Let me explain. “I had cause to go and welcome someone coming in from the US. We parked in the designated car park. Then the obstacles started. The path you have to trek to get to the front of the arrival hal...

2019 Hajj: Six Nigerian pilgrims die in Saudi Arabia

A middle aged woman, pilgrim from Lagos State, slumped and died in the early hours of Sunday morning in Mecca during the devil stoning ritual at Jamarat Aqaba, outside Mina, thereby bringing the number of Nigerian pilgrims that have died in this year’s Hajj in Saudi Arabia to six(6). The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria confirmed the death of the Nigerian pilgrims in Saudi Arabia . Dr Ibrahim Kana , Chairman, National Medical Team, released the figure in Madinah from the commission ’s National Medical Team Electronic Health Medical Records. The Commission had earlier said, “ So far , Nigeria has lost six pilgrims including four females and two males ; out of which one died in Madina while the remaining four died in the city of Makkah. “ They all died of various illnesses including heart and lung diseases. “ Records shows that so far in both Makkah and Madina , we have made 10,485 diagnoses with Makkah accounting for over 60 per cent. “ Additionally , 108 referrals wer...

Ajaokuta Steel plant up for sale again!

Oredola Adeola| The Federal Government through its ongoing privatisation programme has put Ajaokuta Steel Company up for sale. This was confirmed by Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria, Governor while briefing the Nigerian delegation at the end of the International Monetary Fund/ World Bank Group meetings in Bali, Indonesia on Sunday. The CBN Governor disclosed that the privatisation programme is coordinated by the National Council on Privatisation, while the Bureau of Public Enterprise (BPE) will be conducting a total review of the process of privatisation and payment for the steel industry to pave way for investors. He further stated that some of the country’s assets have been up for sale, under the ongoing privatisation programme, with the aim of raising more funds to finance the 2018 deficit-based budget. Recall that work commenced on the steel plant in 1979 and over $10 billion is estimated to have been spent on it so far. A recent audit report revealed that...

The Editorials

Search This Blog