By Yakubu Uba
Maiduguri, – The UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria, Mr Matthias Schmale, has called for adequate protection for aid workers in the North East.
Schmale made the call while reacting to the Thursday killing of an aid worker by a soldier , who ran amok in Damboa, Borno.
”The killing of a staff member of the humanitarian non-governmental organisation, Médecins du Monde in Damboa, Borno is deeply disturbing and sad.
“On behalf of the UN, I convey my heartfelt condolences to the aid worker’s family and to her colleagues. I also wish a speedy recovery to a pilot working with the UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS) who was injured in the deplorable attack by an apparently rogue soldier.
“All humanitarian staff working in the north-east of Nigeria, deserve our fullest respect for their courage and commitment to stay and deliver life-saving assistance to people in need in often difficult and dangerous circumstances. Humanitarian workers must be protected.
“I laud the Government and the military’s efforts to speedily investigate yesterday’s incident and urge them to strengthen remedial measures to prevent similar incidents in the future,” Schmale said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa in a statement on Thursday issued by Assistant Director, Army Public Relations of the Command, Maj. Samson Zhakom announced the killing of the aid worker by the soldier.
He said the same soldier also killed another soldier and injured the co-pilot of one of the UN helicopters before he was neutralised by troops.
“The injured co-pilot has been stabilized while the corpses of the deceased have been moved to the 7 Division Hospital.
“Detailed investigation into the incident and subsequent remedial actions have commenced into the highly regrettable incident. Further details will be provided later,” the army said. (NAN)
