Attachments
BACKGROUND
Sokoto State is among the States in North-West Nigeria where struggle for control of natural resources, including mines, water resources and pasture pitting between herders and farmers metamorphosed into communal clashes, conflict, banditry and criminality causing forced internal displacement of 56,600 individuals into different parts of the State and 80,900 registered as refugees in Niger Republic out of which 71 per cent are biometrically registered.
The security situation in Sokoto continues to deteriorate, between July and end-September 2021, 32 incidents leading to 109 fatalities were reported. To respond to the challenges, the State government signed into law the security challenges (Containment) Order No 3, 2021 in September 20214. The measures in the order include, among others, the restriction of movements, curfews, and ban on sale of some items in local markets. Furthermore, the State government announced the shutdown of the telecommunications networks in 14 out of the 23 Local Government Areas (LGAs) due to the increase of attacks which they attributed to ongoing military operations in neighbouring Zamfara State.
Since July 2021, UNHCR has established a presence in Sokoto Municipality, Rabah and Goronyo LGAs and covers Isa and Sabon Birni LGAs remotely to undertake protection monitoring and has Grassroot Initiative for Strengthening Community Resilience (GISCOR) implementing the protection monitoring. However, due to the shutdown of telecommunications network and closure of roads, GISCOR has not been able to reach the monitors in Isa and Sabon Birni LGAs since 20th September 2021.