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The Nigerian Army has urged officials of the Medicine Sans Frontier (MSF), otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, and other international groups to desist from visiting conflict zones in the country.
The Chief of Army Policy and Plans, Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun, made the appeal at a meeting with members of the organisation on Friday at the Army Headquarters in Abuja.
He stressed that the security of the humanitarian workers was a top priority for the Nigerian government.
Adeosun informed the MSF that the plea to stay away from conflict zones was in their interest as Boko Haram terrorists carry out attacks indiscriminately.
“Despite your neutrality and impartiality, at times situations make it sometimes difficult for you to have the reach you would like to have neutrally without any security man or apparatus seen around you,” he said.
The lieutenant general added, “To the terrorists, everything is a target; they don’t know what it is to even attack you as a group that is concerned and responsible for their well-being, because they are not trained in that manner; they are only trained to kill.”
He stressed that while reaching out to victims of conflict across the country, its members must cooperate with the government by keeping away from serious conflict zones.
Channels Television reports that Adeosun, however, promised to ensure adequate security for members of the organisation to help them alleviate the plight of persons affected by insurgency in the North East.
“We must continue to operate with understandings so that while you are providing succour for the people, you also don’t come into harm’s way,” he said.
