Following an attack that left three people including a five-year-old dead and damage to an aid helicopter on Thursday in Damasak, a town in Borno State, the United Nations has suspended the operations of the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS).
United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon made this known in a statement on Saturday.
“I am gravely concerned about reports of another violent attack by non-state armed groups in Damasak, Borno State, on 2 July, in which at least two innocent civilians lost their lives, including a five-year-old child. Several others were injured, and a humanitarian helicopter was hit, sustaining serious damage” he said.
Kallon noted that though there was no aid worker aboard the helicopter, there is a need by the Nigerian Government to investigate the attack and swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice.
According to him, the attack and damage to the helicopter severely affect the ability of aid actors to provide urgently needed assistance to vulnerable people in remote areas across Borno State.
“The UN Humanitarian Air Service is essential to evacuate wounded civilians and remains the backbone to facilitating humanitarian access, thereby enabling UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to safely and securely reach the most vulnerable populations.
In 2019, UNHAS transported 66,271 passengers and 147 megatons of humanitarian assistance, as well as conducted 30 medical and 70 security evacuations,” Kallon added.
He condemned the attacks against civilians, humanitarian assets, and aid workers, thereby calling on all armed parties to respect the international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The UN official also urged the parties to allow and facilitate safe and unimpeded access for humanitarians to deliver life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people in the North East.
According to him, 7.8 million people in the crisis-affected states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States, mostly living in remote areas need humanitarian aid.
Kallon explained that in recognition of Thursday’s incident and consultation with some humanitarian organizations, it became necessary to pause UNHAS rotary operations in the region.
He stated that this was to allow the UN to engage government partners and conduct new risk assessments for each helicopter location to ensure that they have taken all the possible mitigation measures.
