By Emmanuel Daudu
The Federal Government has applauded the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for its expanding humanitarian interventions in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden North-East and North-West regions, as authorities intensify efforts to tackle insurgency and restore stability in affected communities.
The Honourable Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, gave the commendation while receiving a delegation of the ICRC at the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Abuja, stressing that Nigeria remains committed to promoting human rights and adhering to international best practices in civil-military relations.
The Minister, according to a statement signed by Moses Yare for the Director of Information and Public Relations, lamented the persistent insurgency in parts of the North-East and North-West and called on all stakeholders to support ongoing military operations against terrorism.
“Security is everybody’s business and all must unite against terrorism,” Musa stated, while urging stronger collaboration among security agencies, humanitarian organisations and local communities in addressing the country’s security challenges.
Earlier, the Head of Delegation of the ICRC in Nigeria, Doris El Doueihy, expressed appreciation for the continued cooperation between the humanitarian organisation and the Nigerian military, describing the partnership as crucial to delivering aid to conflict-affected populations.
She also commended the Federal Government for the recent launch of a new training programme for military police in Zaria and reaffirmed the ICRC’s commitment to expanding humanitarian operations across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
El Doueihy, however, appealed to the government to discourage prolonged detention without family access, urging authorities to allow Red Cross officials access to detainees to facilitate communication with their relatives.
She further lauded progress made in detainee hearings and called for faster coordination with the Ministry of Justice to ease overcrowding in detention facilities.
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