Presidency Reacts To Army’s Sack Of UNICEF From North East

The Presidency has reacted on Friday night to Nigerian Army’s suspension of the humanitarian activities of the United Nations International Children Emergency (UNICEF) in the North East.

Recall that the Army had among the reasons it suspended UNICEF’s activities in the North East accused the international organisation of sabotaging its counterterrorism efforts in the region.

But reacting to the development few hours ago, the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the Army and UNICEF will meet on Saturday over the issue.

”The Military Commander and his team have a meeting with UNICEF tomorrow, to resolve the issues of concern regarding some of the actions of UN agency. They will resolve their issues by tomorrow,” said Mallam shehu.

The presidential spokesperson however did speak on whether the Army secured President Buhari’s approval before sacking UNICEF from the region.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has condemned the moved by Army, describing it as part of the military’s “wider drive to intimidate international humanitarian and human rights organizations who are working to save lives” amidst the scourge of Boko Haram crisis.

Speaking through its Director in Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, Amnesty International said it, “strongly condemns attempts by the Nigerian army to demonize UNICEF’s lifesaving work in the northeast of the country, where the Boko Haram conflict has created one of the deadliest humanitarian disasters in the world.

”We see the suspension of UNICEF as part of a wider drive to intimidate international humanitarian and human rights organizations who are working to save lives in this devastating conflict.

“The Nigerian army has accused UNICEF of ‘aiding Boko Haram’ – an absurd charge. The suspension of UNICEF will, in fact, deprive those whose lives have been devastated by the Boko Haram conflict from receiving much-needed humanitarian assistance.

“We call on the Nigerian authorities to reverse the suspension of UNICEF immediately. The Nigerian military should focus on protecting lives rather than smearing NGOs.”