The Nigerian army has ordered Action Against Hunger to shut down its main office in Maiduguri, in Nigeria’s north-eastern Borno state, amid allegations that the global humanitarian aid provider is aiding terrorist groups such as Boko Haram and Islamic State, reported The Guardian.
Colonel Ado Isa, deputy director of army public relations, said AAH ignored repeated warnings to stop aiding terrorist groups by supplying them with food and medicine.
“The subversive… actions of the NGO Action Against Hunger persisted despite several warnings to desist from aiding and abetting terrorists and their atrocities,” Isa said in a statement on Thursday.
He added that the group has been declared an entity “non-grata” as the army had credible evidence from its troops that the charity did not heed its orders.
In response to the allegations, the NGO group said it was given no notice or reason before the closure of its office in the Maiduguri capital of Borno state. The group said the authorities have not presented them with any evidence to show they’ve been assisting terrorists. It pointed out that an AAH staff member was among the six people who were kidnapped by IS militants in July.
The humanitarian aid group called on the Nigerian authorities to allow its work in the region to continue. It said it delivers aid and support to vulnerable groups, especially women and children, and the military’s actions jeopardize its efforts and it will appeal the decision.
“Action Against Hunger delivers neutral, impartial and independent humanitarian aid to millions of people in Borno State by providing basic services to the most vulnerable, especially women and children,” the group said.
In a statement posted on its website, the charity did not address the allegations and said it would make no further comment at this stage.
The NGO claimed it provided aid to around 3,488,001 people in Nigeria in 2018.
