HIGHLIGHTS
• 1.3 million displaced across Borno state
• HRP for 2017 workshop concludes
• Government announces Inter-Ministerial Task Force for north-east
FIGURES
• # people in need of humanitarian assistance 7 m
• # IDPs 1.8 m # of people facing acute food insecurity 4.4 m
• # severe acute malnourished children in Borno state 244,000
• # of displaced in Borno state 1.3
• # of refugees who have crossed into Cameroon, Chad and Niger 187,126
FUNDING
484 million requested (US$)
37.3% funded (as of 31 October 2016)
Displacement Tracking Round XII - 1.3 million displaced across Borno state
The largest number of internally displaced people continues to be in Borno state in Nigeria’s north-east, according to IOM’s Round XII of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM).
With 97 per cent of displacement due to conflict, there are more than 1.3 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) across Borno state and 170,070 in Adamawa. Most of the IDPs, (over 78 per cent) are staying with host families, while fewer than 22 per cent are staying in official and unofficial camps. The numbers of displaced in Maiduguri decreased; according to Round XII there are 873,059 people from outside living in the city. Round XII shows a decrease of 13 per cent to 873,059 IDPs. It is reported some 125,000 people moved back to Mafa, Konduga and Ngala.
Increased coverage
The DTM Round XII increased its number of assessments to 161 camps across four states; Adamawa, Borno, Taraba and Yobe compared to 155 camps assessed in Round XI – this is one indication of the scale up in the humanitarian response. The greatest number of camps is located in Borno with 122 formal and informal settlements, while Adamawa is second highest with 22 camps.
The number of returnees is climbing close to the 1 million mark with 958,549 people returning to their places of origin. These numbers include refugees with 3.67 per cent returning from Cameroon; 1.27 per cent from Chad and 0.94 per cent from Niger.
The DTM guides planning and response for the humanitarian community to target assistance where needs are greatest.
Further details of the DTM Round XII can be found on: https://nigeria.iom.int/sites/default/files/dtm_reports/01%20DTM%20Nigeria%20Round%20XII%20Report%20August%202016.pdf
Registering returnees
UNHCR reported that a system for the registration of returning Nigerians from neighbouring countries continues to be implemented by the Nigerian Immigration Services in partnership with UNHCR. A total of 136,175 returnees were registered in several locations. This includes the Sahuda border entry point in Adamawa where 22,098 people registered; Geidam and Gashua in Yobe saw 24,045 returnees; and Ngala in Borno state 90,572 were registered.
The humanitarian community is encouraged by the positive indicators of the discussions between the Governments of Nigeria and Cameroon on the Tripartite Agreement held on 9 June 2016 in Abuja. The agreement between the two countries is due to be signed before the end of the year.
The majority of people who fled across borders at the height of the conflict went to Cameroon. Both Nigerian and Cameroon Government agreed that it is vital that the return of the Nigerian refugees from Cameroon should take place voluntarily, in safety and dignity. Basic services still need to be ensured for all returning refugees, and the humanitarian community urges the Government to work in close cooperation with humanitarian actors, and share all necessary information regarding returns.
Humanitarian Response Plan for 2017
The targets and priorities for the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) for Nigeria’s northeast in 2017 was discussed when the Humanitarian Country Team came together during the last week of October.
The Deputy Humanitarian Coordinator/HC a.i. Peter Lundberg opened the two-day meeting with a stark reminder of the urgent needs of people living in the affected states.
In his opening remarks he said, “…from the women I met two days ago in an IDP camp in Maiduguri, their story is very simple, they told me they came from Mafa and Dikwa and arrived in Maiduguri in July, they had still not been registered for food rations and they were clearly desperate to get food.”
Response will focus on three states
There was agreement that the HRP 2017 will focus on the three states in the north-east most affected by conflict and displacement: Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. These three states alone account for close to 9.6 million (some 72 per cent) of the 13.4 people in need. Focusing on them will allow government, NGOs and agencies to use capacities and funding judicially rather than spreading operations too thin on the ground.
The Humanitarian Needs Overview (HNO), which establishes a collective evidence base of acute humanitarian needs, was completed and validated by the state authorities and humanitarian partners in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe in the north-east. Government offices involved in the response will also contribute to the HRP for 2017 before it is finalized.
The HC a.i. was eager to stress that the data was derived from the 2016 government projected population figures from the National Statistics Office, Cadre Harmonisé, DTM and other processes where government takes the lead and is therefore largely considered.
There was general endorsement at the HNO workshop that the overall figure of people in need is 13.4 million in the six states covered by the HNO (Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi, Taraba). A common understanding was reached across all sectors of the methodologies used throughout the HNO process, which sets the benchmark for the HRP.
The HRP is designed as a response management tool for the humanitarian community for the immediate, life-saving needs of the people affected by the current crisis in Nigeria’s north-east. During the year, as new areas became accessible to the humanitarian community, the numbers in need increased dramatically and it became apparent that there was insufficient funding to meet the growing needs. As a result the HPR for 2016 was revised to US$484 million but at the end of October was just a little over 36 per cent funded, leaving shortfalls across all sectors. Food remains the most urgent priority and is just 44 per cent funded; protection 11 per cent, health 13 per cent and early recovery and livelihoods still shows zero per cent funding.
Attacks increase in north-east
As the rainy season ends and road conditions improve, the number and frequency of violent attacks is increasing, with three attacks in Maiduguri during the month of October.
All three attacks resulted in loss of life for Nigerian civilians. The most recent attacks occurred on Saturday 29 October, where the Bakassi IDP camp and the National Nigerian Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot was targeted. The two explosions occurred within minutes of each other at around 0700 hrs and it is believed the attacks were coordinated.
According to reports, the explosion near the NNPC depot was carried out by a female suicide bomber, who was a passenger on a motorized tricycle (keke nepap). Three passengers, the driver and the suicide bomber all died. The explosion at Bakassi camp killed five people who were leaving the camp to fetch firewood, the suicide bomber also died. There were 24 people injured in the two explosions. This followed an incident at Muna Garage on 12 October where a suicide bomber killed eight people and injured 15 bystanders. Muna Garage is the assembly point for all military escorted transport outside Maiduguri, including the transport of goods and food items.
Continued insecurity in many parts of Borno state is challenging the humanitarian community from responding to the crisis in Nigeria’s north-east.
Government announces Inter-Ministerial Task
Force for north-east The Government of Nigeria announced its determination to deal swiftly and decisively with the urgent humanitarian crisis in the north-east of the country. Recognizing that the crisis is one of the worse on the African continent, the Ministry of Budget and National Planning was designated with the responsibility to coordinate an Inter-Ministerial Task Force for the humanitarian response.
Response
Greater cooperation between the government and the humanitarian actors, sharing information and enhancing coordination efforts is designed to give the humanitarian response the impetus required to address urgent life-saving assistance.
There was acknowledgement that the scale and depth of the crisis was underestimated, which places a greater sense of urgency to ensure momentum is maintained in targeting the response.
Peter Lundberg, the Humanitarian Coordinator a.i. welcomed the government’s announcement and “looked forward to seeing some tangible results.” In a recent statement Lundberg also commented that he appreciated all the humanitarian assistance provided by the Government of Nigeria to meet the needs of people in the north-east.
Edward Kallon United Nations Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator designate visits Nigeria
The United National Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator (UNRC/HC) for Jordan came on mission to Nigeria to meet UN agencies and members of the humanitarian community prior to taking up his post as the UNRC/HC in Nigeria at the end of November. A Sierra Leonean national, the UNRC/HC designate has worked across conflict affected areas from Afghanistan, to Iraq, Bangladesh, Uganda and Somalia as well as for the Syrian response in Jordan.
Kallon visited all the UN agencies in Abuja, the Federal State Capital and also travelled to Maiduguri and met with the Inter-Sector Working Group. The UNRC/HC outlined his vision for Nigeria and spoke of linking the humanitarian response with early recovery and development. He also spoke of leading the United Nations agencies in Nigeria to ensure they forge a stronger more coordinated body, able to deliver for the people of Nigeria and ensure their needs are met more effectively.
The RC/HC designate returned to Jordan where he will prepare his departure and hand over to his incoming replacement.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.