Nigeria: Adamawa State - Weekly Situation Report No. 8 (As of 26 July 2021)

HIGHLIGHTS

• Over 170 communities across eight local government areas (LGAs) are at risk of severe flooding as the rainy season approaches its peak, according to the annual flood outlook.

• Additional three cases of cholera – bringing the total to 7 cases - confirmed in Yola North LGA as partners and government intensify preparedness and response actions across affected and high-risk locations.

• Government ratifies bill establishing a peace and conflict resolution commission to address recurrent inter-communal clashes.

• UNFPA completes gender-based violence (GBV) in emergency training for 28 services providers, as part of efforts to address rising cases of sexual and gender-based violence across the state.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Risk of flooding across eight LGAs during the peak of the rainy season

This week federal and state authorities including the State and National Emergency Management Agencies (SEMA/NEMA) reiterated the risks of severe flooding across locations during the peak of the ongoing rainy season, warning populations in vulnerable communities – most of which are lowlands or lying along riverbanks – to relocate to higher/safer grounds to minimize impacts. The annual flood outlook (AFO) released by the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) early this month listed 179 communities across Yola North, Yola South, Numan, Lamurde, Guyuk, Fufore, Gombi and Demsa LGAs among locations at risk of flooding over the coming weeks and months. Apart from destroying cultivated farmlands and causing civilian displacements, flooding also increases the risk of water-borne disease outbreaks. This includes diseases such as acute watery diarrhoea (AWD) and cholera, which has already been confirmed in Yola North LGA. SEMA and OCHA are working on the harmonization plans to develop a flood contingency plan ahead of the peak of the rainy season.

Cholera cases climb to seven in Yola North and Girei LGAs as partners and government intensify response

Three additional cholera cases were reported during the week in Yola North LGA, bringing the total confirmed cases to seven although the state government is yet to officially declare an outbreak. The index case was confirmed in Girei LGA some three weeks ago. Following the confirmation of the index case, WASH and Health sector partners launched a 3-month response plan enabling the scale up of preparedness and response actions across affected and high-risk locations such as chlorination of water points, disinfection and clearing of drainages, scale up of water trucking and risk awareness/communication programmes including on radio and tv. Partners also supported government to establish an emergency operations center (EOC) and cholera treatment facility (CTC) to coordinate and intensify response.

GBV training for services providers

UNFPA completed a two-week capacity-building training on “GBV in emergency” for 28 service providers as part of efforts to scale-up response efforts across the state, including risk awareness and mitigation, case management protocols and support services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Adamawa has some of the highest cases of GBV in the country and protection partners have in recent weeks intensified efforts including advocacy with the state government to finalize a proposed legislation to protect vulnerable populations, including through access to legal assistance and justice for survivors.

Government ratifies bill establishing peace and conflict resolution commission

Governor Ahmadu Fintiri this week signed a bill ratifying the establishment of the Adamawa State Peace and Conflict Resolution and Social Mobilization Commission (APCSMC) as part of efforts to address recurrent inter-communal clashes that have claimed dozens of lives and displaced more than 5,000 people this year alone. Adamawa is among the hotspots for farmer-herder clashes over grazing rights and also inter-ethnic conflict over control/ownership of land and boundaries. The latest waves of inter-communal clashes were reported in April in Lugunda community, which borders Gombe State, and the conflict left at least 10 people killed and displaced more than 2,500 others. The APCSMC is expected to commence operations in the coming months after the appointment of principal officers by the state government.