By Uche Onyeali
International Committee of the Red Cross, ICRC, and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRCS, have refuted claims circulating on social media that they provide support to armed groups in Northern Nigeria.
Recent posts on social media claimed that Red Cross delivered food to Boko Haram and other terrorist organisations in Sambisa Forest in Borno State.
Reacting to the posts, the organisations in a joint statement issued yesterday said the allegations were “diametrically opposed to the fundamental principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and constitute misleading information that can jeopardise our purely humanitarian mission and deny thousands of people vital aid.”
They said their priority everywhere is to help the most vulnerable people affected by different challenges, including armed conflict, adding that the impact is made “transparently, independently, neutrally and impartially.
“ICRC engages in humanitarian dialogue with all parties to a conflict where it can. The organisation never provides those parties with financial, logistical or other support.”
Red Cross urged the public to verify information through credible sources, advising them to “always check information with credible and official sources, including ICRC and NRCS official accounts, and refrain from engaging unverified online content.”
Northern Nigeria has faced decades of violence from various armed groups, including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP, and local bandit groups.
This has resulted in widespread displacement, killings and disrupted access to food, education and healthcare for millions of civilians.
