The UN Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Yassine Gaba, currently Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim, strongly condemns the deadly combined attack which took place near Belle Village, in the outskirts of Borno State’s capital, Maiduguri, on Sunday 1 April. According to local sources, at least 34 civilians lost their lives in this attack and some 90 others were injured.

The recent weeks have seen a steady continuation of attacks on civilians in the three most conflict-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, in the north-east of Nigeria. Since the beginning of the year, reportedly, at least 120 civilian women, children and men were killed and over 210 sustained serious injuries, in over 22 attacks allegedly by non-state armed groups directly targeting civilians. Civilians are also regularly abducted, as in Dapchi, Yobe State, where 110 school girls were taken on 19 February.

“Innocent civilians continue to suffer daily from direct and indiscriminate attacks in the north-east of Nigeria,” said Mr. Gaba. “Endless numbers of explosions, brutal killings, abductions and lootings continue to uproot the lives of women, children and men daily. I call on all parties to the conflict to end this violence and to respect human life and dignity.”

The protection of civilians is a major focus of the ongoing humanitarian response in the north-east of Nigeria, where 7.7 million people remain in dire need of humanitarian assistance, including food, shelter, water and health care, in the most conflict-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Women, children and men face daily grave human rights violations and sexual and gender-based violence. Since the start of the conflict in 2009, more than 20,000 people have been killed, thousands of girls, women, boys and men have been abducted and children continue to be used routinely as so-called “suicide” bombers.