The United Nations (UN) yesterday confirmed Wednesday’s Daily Trust exclusive report on the abduction of female Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State.
It puts the figure of those abducted at over 200.
Mr Mohamed Malick Fall, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator of the UN in Nigeria, in a statement last night said they were disturbed.
He said, “The United Nations strongly condemns the reported abduction of internally displaced persons (IDPs), many of them women, boys and girls, in the Ngala Local Government Area of Borno State.
The exact number of people abducted remains unknown but is estimated at over 200 people.
“On 29 February, members of a non-state armed group (NSAG) allegedly abducted the IDPs who had reportedly ventured beyond the safety of the trenches surrounding Ngala – from the ISS, Zulum, Kaigama, and Arabic IDP camps – in search of firewood.
“While an unspecified number of older women and children under 10 have reportedly been released, scores of IDPs remain unaccounted for, according to protection partners.
I stand in solidarity with the families of all those abducted, especially children, and their communities and urge those who have abducted them to release them without harm. On behalf of the United Nations, I remind all parties to the conflict to adhere to their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians from harm.
“In addition, I urge authorities and other partners to provide more livelihood opportunities for IDPs in camps in Borno State, alongside ongoing efforts for lasting solutions, to reduce the risks of insecurity and violence faced by IDPs,” the statement said.
According to Malick Fall, “More than two million people in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) states have fled to garrison towns where they have few, if any, livelihood options. Those who venture beyond the protective trenches surrounding these towns to forage or farm do so at great peril, with killings, abductions, forced recruitment and sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) rampant.
Families ask FG, N/Assembly to rescue abducted women
Our correspondents report that families of the abducted women yesterday called on relevant authorities to rescue their loved ones.
They said they don’t want a repeat of the incident in Chibok 10 years ago, where 276 school girls were abducted and up till now many of them have not returned.
There has been apparent silence both in Borno and Abuja since the abductions, with families of the victims and acquaintances saying they felt “abandoned”.
Peoplesmind