FG raises the alarm over rising attacks on humanitarian workers

The Federal Government, on Monday, raised concerns over the increasing number of attacks on humanitarian workers across Nigeria, calling for urgent measures to protect those working in conflict zones.

The Federal Commissioner of the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants, and Internally Displaced Persons, Tijani Ahmed, who spoke at a press conference in Abuja to mark World Humanitarian Day 2024, revealed a disturbing rise in the frequency and severity of attacks on aid workers.

This year’s campaign, themed ‘ActForHumanity,’ drew attention to the growing risks humanitarian workers face.

Since 2020, there have been 49 reported incidents involving 79 aid workers, with cases ranging from kidnappings and ambushes to fatalities, Ahmed said.

He recalled the killing of an aid worker from Médecins du Monde, the wounding of a UN pilot, and a violent attack on the United Nations Aid Facility in Borno State, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 Internally Displaced Persons and forced aid workers to flee.

“In Nigeria, humanitarian workers have frequently found themselves in the crossfire of non-state armed groups. Between 2020 and 2024, there have been 49 reported incidents affecting 79 humanitarian workers.

“These include the tragic killing of an aid worker from Médecins du Monde, the wounding of a UN pilot, and the attack on the United Nations Aid Facility in Borno State, which resulted in the deaths of at least 20 internally displaced persons and forced aid workers to flee for safety.

“In 2024 alone, no fewer than 26 humanitarian workers in Nigeria have been kidnapped, ambushed, or assaulted while carrying out their duties,” he lamented.

The Geneva Conventions, to which all African nations are signatories, stipulate that the intentional targeting of humanitarian workers is a war crime.

Such acts violate the core principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence that guide humanitarian action.

“These heinous acts not only endanger the lives of those who are dedicated to helping others but also violate the very principles of humanity that underpin our global commitment to peace and justice,” he said.

The NCFRMI Commissioner called for the enforcement of international humanitarian law in Nigeria, urging stakeholders to intensify efforts to protect aid workers and civilians.

He also pushed for stronger legal frameworks to prosecute perpetrators and end the cycle of impunity.

“Today, I call upon all stakeholders to intensify our efforts to protect humanitarian workers and civilians in conflict zones.

“We must also ensure that our legal frameworks are robust enough to prosecute those who commit such violations and end the cycle of impunity as the protection of humanitarian workers and civilians is a moral imperative,” Ahmed concluded.