By The volatile environment in North-East Nigeria has continued to hinder humanitarian efforts, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has stated in its latest operational highlights.
Released in Geneva, Switzerland, this week, the UNHCR says 5,950 internally displaced persons (IDPs) with specific needs were identified for targeted assistance; UNHCR Protection, Human Rights and Border Monitoring site visited 55,396 IDPs, IDP returnees and refugee returnees.
Also, the UNHCR supported the issuance of 4,846 civil documentation for IDPs, returnees and host community members to prevent statelessness.
Operational Highlights
- The volatile security environment in North-East Nigeria continues to hinder the provision of Protection and Multisectoral assistance to the affected population in the States of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe (BAY States). In August, Non-State Armed Groups (NSAG) officially declared humanitarian actors a legitimate target, increasing the risk in the humanitarian delivery programme. In Borno State, indiscriminate attacks against civilian and military targets continued with NSAG mounting illegal vehicle checkpoints to rob, abduct and kill; other incidents have been recorded such as abduction of civilians during daily activities in their farmlands or while fetching firewood in areas outside the safe perimeters in the deepfield locations in Bama, Gwoza, Gubio, Dikwa, and Mungono. In addition, there has been raids on health facilities in Magumeri. In Adamawa and Yobe States several incidents of armed robbery, kidnapping, abduction for ransom, and killing were reported. NSAG attacks and threats of imminent attacks on the communities in North-East is causing widespread fears amongst the civilian population.
- Insecurity (fear of NSAG attacks), poor living conditions, and family reunification were reasons listed by 920 households comprising 3,048 individuals that have crossed the Nigerian borders coming from Cameroon, Niger and Chad. Same reasons were also cited by 926 households of 3,891 internally displaced persons new arrivals in Bama, Dikwa, Ngala, Gwoza, MMC and Jere camps from the surrounded communities and other Local Government Areas.
- The Borno State Government unveiled its plan to return/resettle nearly 300,0001 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees from Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) to 18 communities in Borno State. These communities include Damasak, Banki, Kauwuri, Ajiri, New Marte, Baga, Ngoshe, Kirawa, Kukawa, Mairari and Mallam Fatori on the shores of Lake Chad. Others are Wulgo, Koine, Gajibo, Warabe, Logmani, Sandiya, Dalwa and Malari.
- Seasonal flood continues to cause widespread damages, loss of livelihoods, shelters, and causes other protection-related concerns such as overcrowding of shelters, reception centers and health risks associated with stagnant water.
- Community Transmission of COVID-19 cases recorded nationwide has led to the continuation of nationwide preventive measures such as the closure of schools and imposed curfew from 22:00 to 04:00 hours local time.
- UNHCR and Partners distributed 3,123 NFI kits to vulnerable households in Monguno (2,123 kits) and Damasak (1000 kits) in response to the IDPs and returnees needs. Also 300 Refugee Housing Units (RHU) were provided to the Borno State Government; of which 48 RHUs will be used as self-isolation units for populations crossing the border into Nigeria, and the remaining will be used as shelters for IDPs, returnees and other Persons of Concern (PoCs) in Damasak, border city with Niger.
