The 10-year-old insurgency in the North-eastern flank of the country has attracted a lot of aids in the form of humanitarian assistance despite loss of lives. SADIQ ABUBAKAR writes on such in the life of insurgency victims in Borno state.
The over 10-year insurgency that engulfed the North-east especially Borno state has continued to uproot civilians, attract attention and in the process deepened humanitarian support and assistance from within and outside the country.
The last 10 years therefore has been characterised by waves of displacements caused by deteriorating insecurity situation, increased attacks by non-state armed groups (NSAGs) and the resultant military operations leading to significant increase in humanitarian needs and protection risks from that period and throughout 2019.
As a result of this, the number of people in need of urgent assistance alarmingly rose from 7.1 million in 2019 to 7.7 million in 2020.
The conflict limits people’s access to food, trade and basic services. Over two million people have fled their homes in search of safety. 3.8 million people are at risk of food insecurity at crisis and emergency levels.
In a challenging operating and security context, humanitarian aid workers guided by humanitarian principles, continue to put their lives on the line to deliver life-saving assistance to those who need it.
In December 2019, four humanitarian aid workers in Nigeria were executed by non-state armed groups.
The EU is one of the leading donors of humanitarian aid in Nigeria and has provided more than €271 million in humanitarian assistance since 2014.
Humanitarian funding in Nigeria focuses on providing life-saving emergency assistance such as emergency food aid, shelter, access to clean water, basic primary healthcare, hygiene and sanitation.
Humanitarian funding is also helping to meet the basic needs of conflict-affected people by providing food aid, access to clean water and sanitation facilities, shelter, basic primary healthcare and education for children caught in humanitarian crises; support the screening and treatment of malnutrition in children; and provide community-based protection support for vulnerable groups in conflict areas, especially for women and children.
This includes psycho-social support and referral services to victims of gender-based violence, unaccompanied children and to help former child-soldiers released from armed groups to reintegrate in society.
Beyond trying to meet immediate humanitarian needs as a supplement to the state’s efforts, the EU is bringing together humanitarian and development aid to build vulnerable communities’ long-term resilience and offer them social protection through a more long-term and holistic approach. Humanitarian community in Nigeria is working in support of government-led response efforts to provide life-saving assistance to millions of people in urgent needs in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
Despite challenges, humanitarian actors have reached more than 5.6 million people in 2019. Considering funding, security and access constraints and also the increased engagement of the Nigerian government and various national partners, the United Nations and partner NGOs aim to provide assistance to 5.8 million people in 2020 which would require a total budget of $869 million.
