Paul Obi in Abuja
Despite the attack on the United Nations
(UN) humanitarian convoy, UNICEF said on Saturday that aid to the Boko
Haram-ravaged North-East and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) will
continue.
In a statement, the organisation said
efforts are in top gear to ensure that humanitarian services continue
notwithstanding the recent attack on UN officials.
UNICEF Country Representative, Jean
Gough, said: “UNICEF continues to provide assistance to millions of
conflict-affected children in north-eastern Nigeria despite the attack
on a humanitarian convoy.
As a result of the attack in which one
UNICEF staff member was injured, travel by UN staff to high risk areas
has been temporarily suspended.
“We are working at full strength in the Borno state capital, Maiduguri,” Gough stressed.
“We continue to call for increased
efforts to reach people in desperate need across the state. We cannot
let this heartless attack divert any of us from reaching the more than
two million people who are in dire need of immediate humanitarian
assistance.
“Despite the temporary suspension of
travel to high risk areas, UNICEF plans to scale up its response in
Borno state substantially. At the beginning of the year, UNICEF appealed
for US$55 million for its emergency work, of which US$23 million has so
far been received
“UNICEF has called on donors and
humanitarian organizations to scale up the response to the emerging
disaster in Borno state, which is the most affected by the conflict with
Boko Haram,” she added.
Further details later
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