Militants destroy 3 aid facilities in NE Nigeria: UN

By Olarewaju Kola

LAGOS, Nigeria (AA) - Five civilians have been killed and three facilities of global aid organizations destroyed in an attack by Boko Haram in an northeastern town of Nigeria, multiple sources said on Sunday.

"Five people were killed as scores of militants in vehicles with high-caliber guns stormed Damasak, a town around the Lake Chad on Saturday evening," one of the sources told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity due to restrictions on speaking to the media.

​​​​​​​Meanwhile, Edward Kallon, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, said in a statement on Sunday that three facilities of global aid organizations were destroyed in the attack.

"Last night and through the morning, a violent attack in Damasak town, in Borno State, was reported with three international aid partners’ facilities directly targeted, set ablaze, and sustained damage," Kallon said.

Condemning the attack, he said humanitarian operations, facilities and aid workers were lifeline of the northeastern region wrecked by over a decade terror attacks.

The UN official said humanitarian operations in the town will be reduced due to the violent attack.

The reduction would affect the support to 8,800 internally displaced people and 76,000 people in the host community receiving aid, he added.

Kallon urged all armed groups to respect international law on humanitarian operations and workers.

More than 50,000 have been killed and about 3 million displaced in the 12 years of Boko Haram violence in the country’s northeast region.