By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA—   International Organisation for Migration, IOM, has said it is appalled by Monday’s attack in Rann, Borno State, in which four internally-displaced persons, IDPs, were killed and its humanitarian hub damaged.

IDPs

IOM, in a statement from its press office, said the attack which began at around 4p.m., was the third on Rann by armed groups since March 2018 and served as a reminder of the dire security situation faced by millions of people in northeast Nigeria.

“We are devastated to learn of this attack and the senseless loss of lives,” said IOM Regional Director, Richard Danziger.

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Rann hosts 76,389 IDPs, who fled a continuing conflict which has displaced over two million people in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in the past decade.

The statement noted that all IOM staff have been reported safe, but that the attackers overran and severely damaged the organisation’s Humanitarian Hub, which was under construction.

It said: “Hubs are instrumental in enabling the delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to IDPs in the northeast of the country.”

“We stand ready to provide humanitarian assistance and assess the situation, as we obtain further details of the attack including the impact on the IDP and host communities, humanitarian personnel and facilities, and the level of risk,” IOM Nigeria Emergency Coordinator, Dave Bercasio, added.