UNICEF Suspends Humanitarian Assistance Mission in Bama, Pending Review of Security Situation

        •As assailants attack convoy, injure two

By Kasim Sumaina with agency report

The United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has disclosed that it has temporarily suspended humanitarian assistance missions pending review of the security situation.

In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, the Chief of Communication, UNICEF, Doune Porter, hinted that unknown assailants  on Thursday attacked and injured a United Nation’s International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) employee, an International Organization for Migration (IOM) contractor and the convoy of the United Nation’s Family Planning Association (UNPFA) at Bama Local Government area of Borno State.

According to her, “The convoy was in a remote area of northeastern Nigeria, where protracted conflict has caused extreme suffering and has triggered a severe malnutrition crisis.

“The assailants attacked a humanitarian convoy that included staff from UNICEF, UNFPA and IOM.  The convoy was traveling from Bama to Maiduguri in Borno State, Nigeria, returning from delivering desperately needed humanitarian assistance.”

She stated that the incident was not only an attack on humanitarian workers, “it is an attack on the people who most need the assistance and aid that these workers were bringing.”

Further details later

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