* seeks increased supports for 8.5m insurgent victims in north east
The Country Director of Mercy Corps, an international Non-Governmental Organization, Darius Radcliffe has called on the Federal Government to take urgent actions on reported cases of children used as suicide bombers.
He also called for an increased humanitarian supports for about 8.5 million victims of insurgency living in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States.
Radcliffe said yesterday in Abuja that the situation has worsened due to limited aid to the less privileged people, apart from reports of sexual abuses and continuous use of young boys and girls as suicide bombers and other violent activities.
The country director, who spoke on behalf of the Nigeria International Non-Governmental Organisation Forum (INGO Forum), during a briefing ahead of 2017 World Humanitarian Day (WHD), urged the federal government to take swift action on the sudden development.
He canvassed for more commitment from international development partners and relevant organizations in the country to assist salvage the situation.
He stressed on need to protect civilians in the north east region especially children and humanitarian aid workers.
Radcliffe said: “There is an increase in using children under this incidence. We don’t have all the statistics at the moment. Obviously, we condemn doing that. It is actually not something we will support at all. It is something we can look at further as we dig into the issue.
“Any time children are used in conflicts, there are huge dangers. So essentially that is something that needs to stop, we need to understand it better and at least actions taken.”
“8.5 million people remain in need of humanitarian assistance this year in the worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. Now in its eight year, the crisis shows no sign of abating….women and children continue to suffer abuse and exploitation at an alarming rate.
“Women, men and children face grave human rights violations and sexual and gender-based violence, including rape. Since the start of the conflict in 2009, more than 20, 000 people have been killed, countless women, boys and girls abducted and children drafted as so-called suicide bombers.
“So the INGO forum would like to focus on the protection of civilians in conflict, particularly from sexual abuse and exploitation arising from displacement, as well as the dangers faced by humanitarian aid workers,” Radcliffe added.
INGO National Coordinator, Drake Ssenyange lauded efforts of the Federal Government towards rebuilding the north east and other support services offered to the displaced persons through the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
He said despite these, there was need to advocate further support for the group.
Ssenyange emphasized that hospitals and humanitarian workers have continued to witness attacks, adding that each time such occurs, it prevent humanitarian supports to the region.
He urged the media to take active role in reporting issues surrounding humanitarian crisis in the north east region.
Asked to comment on allegations that parents had continue to donate their children to the insurgents for use as suicide bombers, Ssenyange explained that INGO was yet to carry out an independent research on the allegation but was something they could consider.
The WHD holds every 19th August to pay tribute to aid workers who risked their lives in humanitarian services and to rally supports for people affected by crisis around the world.
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