UN Raises the Alarm over Alleged Indiscretion of Organisations in North-east Region

The United Nations has said the international community is concerned on the alleged indiscretion of some international humanitarian organisations working in the troubled North-east region of Nigeria.

The military recently clampdown on a group, ‘Action Against Hunger and Mercy Corps’, for alleged activities against the interest of Nigeria.

Speaking in Maiduguri during a courtesy call on Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara, on Wednesday, the UN Under-Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mark Lowcock, said everybody is working for the same goal and won’t want the law of the country to be broken.

According to him, “Should there be any problem of the activities of humanitarian organisations in the country, it is not just for Nigeria, but for the entire international community.”

He said these agencies understood, stressing that: “Everybody has similar goal here, and it is to reduce the pains and sufferings of the people.”

Lowcock, while emphasising that the international community would not want the rule of law of the country to be broken, he said: “All the international agencies operating in the troubled region are registered with the authorities in the proper way.”

He added that their (humanitarian organisations) activities are equally being monitored by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the fund they are spending were gotten from reliable sources, especially foreign governments, which ensure that the funds are used for the purpose for which they were given.

Lowcock said the foreign donors always ensure that the funds are not be diverted, noting that these international agencies operate where the government has access to.

He lamented that the crisis in the Northeast continued to pose threat to thousands of people in the troubled area.

Lowcock said both the military and international humanitarian agencies need to collaborate to bring succour to millions of people affected by the Boko Haram crisis.

He said there should be proportionate response from both the military and the humanitarian actors, and it is only by this that the problem can be dealt with.

Lowcock revealed that international agencies are operating under the legal framework provided by the authorities in the host country.

The UN chief noted that most of the workers of the UN agencies, international and local NGOs are Nigerians and they have ensured that about 3.8 million people have been reached this year alone.

Earlier, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar-Farouk, said the Nigerian Government appreciates the efforts of the international humanitarian agencies working in the Northeast to provide  humanitarian assistance to the people of the troubled region.

She said the current problem with the humanitarian agencies had to do with national security, but that her ministry was working to settle the rift.

Farouk said there was ongoing move with the military, Borno State Government and agencies concerned to resolve it with respect to international norms and best practices.

The intervention, she said was to buttress the issue of trust and understanding, noting that the military and the INGOs have provided security and relief to millions of people of the troubled region.

She added that investigation is still ongoing on the issues leading to the banning of the activities of the accused INGOs, adding that in the meantime, her ministry will ensure that the people were not affected by the banning of the activities of the accused agencies.

The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara, on his part, said the people of the state cannot continue to depend on food and other relief materials from humanitarian organisations, and would love to see the crisis over as soon as possible.

He appealed to the UN to come to the assistance of the Nigerian Government by helping with modern war equipment that would assist the country in winning the war against insurgency.