West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (9 - 15 January 2018)

CAMEROON

HUNDREDS FLEE TO REFUGEE CAMP OVER INSECURITY
Around 700 Nigerian asylum seekers have moved to Minawao camp, the main refugee settlement in Far North region, in the past fortnight. The majority fled to Cameroon in 2013 - 2014 and had been living within communities in Mayo Tsanaga department.

The decision to go to the camp is believed to be due to robberies and attacks in the villages they had settled in. Minawao is currently home to around 61,000 refugees, half of whom are women. A voluntary repatriation of Nigerian refugees is set to begin in February.

CAR

CLASHES DISPLACE OVER 70,000
Fighting between rival armed groups since 28 December has displaced 58,000 people. They have sought refuge in the north-western Paoua town. The clashes that erupted in areas around the town have also forced 13,000 to flee across the border into Chad.

Aid agencies are struggling to cope with the sharp increase in displacement in Paoua. In Chad, the new arrivals are in urgent need of food assistance, basic household items, water and vaccination. Preparations for food distribution to the newly-arrived refugees are underway. One NGO is already providing medical assistance, treating malnutrition and preparing a vaccination campaign.

NIGER

DECLINE IN ARMED ATTACK CASUALTIES
An average of 12 civilians were killed, injured or abducted every month in 2017 in the conflict-hit Diffa region. This is a decline from an average of 20 per month in 2015 - 2016, according to relief agencies. In total, 60 people were killed, 70 abducted and 11 wounded by suspected Boko Haram elements in Diffa. The conflict has triggered a massive humanitarian emergency in a region where many were already grappling with hardship.

CHAD

CHOLERA OUTBREAK UNDER CONTROL
The cholera outbreak that erupted in the eastern Sila and Salamat regions in August 2017 has been brought under control, according to the regions’ health authorities.

No cases have been reported since 29 November. A total of 1,254 cases and 80 deaths were recorded in the outbreak.

WASH activities, particularly sensitisation on hygiene, are being maintained especially in rural areas. Although the outbreak has been curbed, the underlying causes (low access to safe drinking water, poor hygiene practices) are yet to be addressed to prevent potential epidemics in a region regularly affected by health emergencies.

NIGERIA

80,000 DISPLACED BY FARMER-HERDER CLASHES
Some 80,000 people (up from 40,000 previously) have been displaced by fighting between farmers and herders that erupted on 1 January in the south-eastern Benue state. The Benue State Emergency Management Authority has set up four camps and is likely to open additional ones as people who fled to neighbouring Nasarawa state are expected to return in the coming weeks. The state government has provided food and basic relief items and is working with aid agencies to mobilise addition assistance. Police reinforcements have been deployed to restore peace, but sporadic attacks are still being reported.