Non-State armed groups targeted the humanitarian hub in Ngala,聽Borno聽state, on Saturday evening, burning an entire section of the facility as well as a vehicle used in aid deliveries.聽

Five UN staff were staying there at the time but escaped unharmed due to security measures in place.聽

Edward聽Kallon, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in聽Nigeria, expressed outrage over the incident.聽

鈥淚 am shocked by the violence and intensity of this attack, which is the latest of too many incidents directly targeting humanitarian actors and the assistance we provide,鈥澛爃e said on Monday.聽

聽鈥淚 am relieved all staff is now safe and secure. Aid workers, humanitarian facilities and assets cannot be a target and must be protected and respected at all times.鈥澛犅�

Northern Nigeria has been in the grip of a Boko Haram insurgency for about a decade, which has led to widespread displacement.聽

Last year, more than 10,000 people arrived in Ngala, searching for security and basic services, the UN humanitarian affairs office,聽, reported.聽

鈥楧isastrous effect鈥櫬爋n vulnerable

Mr.聽Kallon聽said attacks against聽humanitarians聽have a 鈥渄isastrous effect鈥� on the vulnerable people they support.聽

鈥淢any of them had already fled violence in their area of origin and were hoping to find safety and assistance in Ngala. This also jeopardizes the ability for aid workers to stay and deliver assistance to the people most in need聽in remote areas in聽Borno聽State,鈥澛爃e said.聽

Overall, the聽UN and partners聽are聽bringing vital assistance to more than seven million people in聽three states affected by the crisis.聽 Besides聽Borno, they also are operational in聽neighbouring聽Adamawa and聽Yobe聽states.聽

聽said aid workers in Nigeria are increasingly being targeted in聽attacks.聽聽Twelve were killed last year,聽which is聽double the number killed in 2018.聽

Meanwhile,聽the UN and its humanitarian partners continue to call for the safe release of聽two aid workers聽who remain in the hands of non-State armed groups after being abducted in separate incidents in聽Borno聽state.聽聽聽

Grace聽Taku, a staff member with Action Against Hunger, was abducted alongside five male colleagues near聽Damasak聽in July 2019.聽 The men were all killed, according to media reports.聽

The other aid worker, Alice聽Loksha, a nurse and mother, was kidnapped during an attack in聽Rann聽in March 2018.聽