The United Nations and the Nigerian Army on Friday
clashed over the invasion of a building occupied by the world body on Friday in
Maiduguri, Borno State.
The Army, in a statement on Friday, defended its action,
saying the action was part of counter-insurgency activities of its Theatre
Command Operation Lafiya Dole. The statement was signed by the 7th Division
spokesperson, Kingsley Samuel.
It stated that it had been conducting cordon and search
operations in urban and rural areas within the state.
According to the Army, the clearance operations have been
yielding successes.
The Army stated, “It has forced the Boko Haram terrorists
to change tactics and resort to the employment of suicide bombers to target
military locations and the populace. This necessitated the need to intensify
cordon and search in the Maiduguri metropolis and environment.
“In the last one week, cordon and search operations were
conducted in Jiddari –Polo, Muna Garage, and Jakana amongst several other
areas. On August 10, 2017, the Theatre Command received information from one of
its credible sources that some high-value Boko Haram suspects had infiltrated
into Pompomari Bypass.
“It, therefore, became expedient to take preemptive
action by combing the general area through a cordon and search operation. The
operation was successfully conducted as over 30 houses were searched.
“One of such included a property, which was said to be
occupied by the United Nations staff members, although the property did not
carry a UN designation.
“On the whole, the operation in the general area was
successfully concluded but no arrest was made because the suspects were not
found.”
Search without authorisation –UN
But the UN, in a statement said its Humanitarian
Coordinator for Nigeria, Edward Kallon, stated that the search was without
authorisation. The statement was signed by its Head of Communications, Samantha
Newport.
Kallon expressed grave concern over the unauthorised
search of the UN base for humanitarian workers in Maiduguri.
Kallon stated, “At circa 0500 hours today (Friday),
members of the Nigerian security forces entered the UN base for humanitarian
workers in Maiduguri without authorisation. The security forces carried out a
search of the tented camp and left the area at circa 0800 hours.
“The United Nations does not have any information at this
time regarding the reason or motivations for the unauthorised 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.”
Kallon said that
he was extremely concerned that the actions could be detrimental to the
critical work that was being carried out every day to support the most vulnerable
in the region, adding “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.”
An internal UN memo seen by the Agence France Presse
suggested that the Nigerian forces might have been searching for the leader of
the jihadist Boko Haram group, Abubakar Shekau, after rumours spread locally
that he was hiding in the compound known as the “Red Roof”.
“Information about Shekau’s presence in the Red Roof was
already being spread yesterday (Thursday) on the social media,” said the
document, apparently issued by the UN’s Department of Safety.
“At about 2 a.m. early this morning, Nigerian Army troops
in trucks are conducting… (a) search on UN Red Roof Humanitarian camp and
forced their way into the property.”
All UN staff members in Maiduguri were ordered to work
from home by the note, which warned of
demonstrations against the organisation and other foreign groups active in the
area.
A UN source told AFP such searches were illegal under
international law and risk raising suspicions about the organisation’s work.
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