The Northern Interfaith and Religious Organisation for Peace has called on the United Nations to audit its humanitarian groups and personnel to douse suspicion by security agencies that Boko Haram terrorists were being harboured in its facilities.
The suggestion came following the decision of the UN Office to resume its humanitarian work in Borno State where it earlier shut down following a military search on its premises.
A statement issued in Jos on Monday by the Director-General of NIROP, Bishop Musa Fomson, said the peaceful resolution of the misunderstanding from the search of premises was a confirmation that the military and the UN were committed to seeing an end to insurgency.
He said, “We expect that going forward, the UN would see the resumption of humanitarian work as a wake up call to audit its processes and the persons as well as organisations it works with to ensure no security agency has cause to strongly suspect that terrorists are being harboured in its facilities.
“The military must on its part increase its interface with organisations like the UN and give them the benefit of undertaking self-cleansing where there is suspicion that terrorists or terrorists’ sympathisers are abusing their< facilities as hideout.
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“This however does not negate the responsibility of the Army to swing into action where it has credible information about wherever wanted Boko Haram criminals are hiding.
“The military must therefore not be cowed by the outcome of its search on the UN premises or the media backlash that accompanied it.
“We charge the local population to continue to volunteer useful information, support international NGOs and the military to ensure that the Nigerian Government continues to maintain its edge over the terrorists who once held the north east to the jugular.
“We use this opportunity to remind the remnants of Boko Haram fighters to take up the offer or surrender as hiding out or attempting to hide in the premises of neutral organisations.”
