UN Calls Out Nigerian Government To Provide Immediate Humanitarian Aid To 10,000 Jakana Residents

The United Nations on Thursday called out the Nigerian government to provide humanitarian assistance to up to 10,000 women, men and children who were evacuated from the north-eastern insurgency-hit state of Borno and relocated to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State, in a single night.

“The United Nations is urging the Government to urgently provide safety, shelter, food, water, and medical care to the displaced civilians, in addition to information about when they will be allowed to return home,” said Mr. Edward Kallon, who is the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, reported Reuters.

The Nigerian army reportedly evacuated an entire town, Jakana, in the north-eastern insurgency-hit state of Borno without giving any proper prior warning. Jakana is home to about 10,000 people.

While the military asserted it went with the evacuation work ahead of operations, the residents of Jakana said they were taken to a camp in Maiduguri to check if any of them were members of the extremist group Boko Haram.

According to the UN, the residents were not even allowed to collect any belongings, with some even forced to leave without shoes. So, the international body urged the government to provide humanitarian aid immediately.

“I was thinking of nothing but death,” said Nana Sanda, who lives in Maiduguri and was in Jakana visiting family. “Where are they taking us to? Are they going to kill us without any reason? Is this how I am going to die without seeing my children and husband for the last time? I was pushed on to the vehicle and in the process, I fell down and injured my legs and back.”

She revealed that the people were crammed into the vehicles, one on top of the other and without food or water. Many parents were separated from their children who were bundled into any available vehicle and the same continued from 8 pm on Monday until Tuesday evening.