MAIDUGURI/Nigeria: The Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Edward Kallon, has condemned the “unauthorized search” of a United Nations base for humanitarian workers in United Nations base, Borno State, by the Nigerian Military, just as the All Progressive Congress, APC in the state has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP faction of Senator Modu Sheriff as the cause of the rumour that led to the illegal raid on the facility.
In a statement made on fiday, 11 August 2017, stated that at about 5am on Friday, members of the Nigerian security forces entered the UN base for humanitarian workers in Maiduguri “without authorization”.
“The security forces carried out a search of the tented camp and left the area at 0800 hours.
“The United Nations does not have any information at this time regarding the reason or motivations for the unauthorized search.
“The Humanitarian Coordinator is working closely with the Government of Nigeria to resolve this issue.
“The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria’s north-east is one of the most severe in the world today,” said Mr Kallon.
“I am extremely concerned that these actions could be detrimental to the critical work that is being carried out every day to support the most vulnerable in the region and I call upon the Government of Nigeria to provide clarification.”
The United Nations and more than 50 non-governmental humanitarian organisations are working in support of the Government of Nigeria to provide aid, including food, safe water and medicine, to some 6.9 million people in need in the northeast.
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Borno State has alleged that loyalists of former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff led by one Barrister Kolo Adam, were behind rumours claiming that Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau has been arrested at a UN rented facility in Maiduguri.
Publicity Secretary, Makinta Zarami in a statement issued in Maiduguri on Friday, said that Kolo Adam was the first to claim that he had information that Shekau had been captured with one of Shekau’s legs injured.
He said the APC in Borno State is worried that since former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff lost his case at the Supreme Court over the chairmanship of the PDP, his loyalists have redirected their mischief to spread different rumours.
”We were shocked that Kolo Adam, a known associate and one of the spokespersons of Sheriff’s group, pasted on his Facebook wall today, claiming that Abubakar Shekau was arrested by the Nigerian Military at a facility rented by agencies of the United Nations in a house belonging to late Governor Mala Kachalla.
”The same Kolo Adam claimed that abducted Lecturers of University of Maiduguri were rescued. Immediately after Kolo Adam pasted that, some loyalists of the former Governor began to share the information through different social media platforms.
”The aim was to achieve series of objectives. First, it was to incite youths in Maiduguri against hundreds of humanitarian workers in order to destabilize Borno State just to create a political atmosphere of failure on the part of the APC led Government in Borno State to keep the State stable.
”Secondly, the rumour was to link Boko Haram with the Mala Kachalla who was a known political opponent of Sheriff so as to cleverly distance Sheriff from issues relating to Boko Haram. It was also aimed at tarnishing the image of the Federal and State Government which deal with humanitarian agencies helping highly traumatized victims of the Boko Haram insurgency.
”The APC hereby demand for the immediate arrest of Kolo Adam and all those who worked with him in sharing this dangerous rumour that is capable of putting the lives of over two million IDPs at the risk of loosing food and medical support from agencies of the United Nations and other humanitarian workers.
”The APC also calls on security agencies to continue to do their job and take on anyone or institution with factual link with the Boko Haram so long as there proofs beyond reasonable doubt.
”The APC calls on the people of Borno State to dismiss this rumour while calling on all those carrying out humanitarian activities to remain calm and continue their works but with strict obedience to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the laws of Borno State under the APC”, Zarami said.
