UN chief "deeply troubled" by Boko Haram attacks against civilians

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon was "deeply troubled" Friday by the continuing indiscriminate and horrific attacks by Boko Haram against civilian populations in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria, according to a statement of a UN spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General is appalled by the continued abductions and use of children as "human bombs", as well as by testimony that many of the girls and women held by Boko Haram were repeatedly raped while in captivity and compelled to marry their captors as part of a campaign of forced imprisonment and sexual violence," said the spokesperson.

Ban called on the government of Nigeria to scale up the provision of medical and psychosocial support to the survivors, said the spokesperson.

"The Secretary-General is also deeply concerned over the further displacement of some 40,000 civilians in Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria in the last three weeks," said the spokesperson.

Boko Haram, Nigeria's militant Islamist group which has wreaked havoc through a wave of bombings, assassinations and abductions, is fighting to overthrow the Nigerian government and create an Islamic state.

The UN chief urged members of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin to advance the operationalization of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), and create a secure environment for the safe and voluntary return, resettlement or integration of displaced persons and refugees, said the spokesperson. Endite