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Monthly Brief for the Media - Humanitarian Response in north-east Nigeria No. 1 | 8 February 2017

Countries
Nigeria
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

Highlights

  • More than 1 million people received cash or inkind food assistance in January. Some 5.1 million people are projected to face “emergency” and “crisis” levels of food insecurity in the coming months.

  • Measles vaccination campaign targeting 4 million children is underway.

  • A total 98 people airlifted to Maiduguri for treatment following the 17 January Rann airstrike.

  • UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) has allocates US$22 million to assist 2.6 million people in the north-east.

  • Country-based humanitarian fund to be set up soon.

  • Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator visited Adamawa, Borno and Yobe on 12 – 18 January and held discussions with Government officials, humanitarian agencies and local leaders on the ongoing humanitarian emergency.

Humanitarian Operations Updates

More than 1 million people receive food assistance In January, the Food Security Sector provided cash or in-kind food assistance to more than 1 million new and pre-existing people-in-need. The assistance provided is broken down as follows:

  • 1.1 million people in Borno and Yobe received assistance through in-kind transfers (general food distribution) and through cash-based transfers.

  • 51,171 people received agricultural inputs through the distribution of seeds, tools, fertilizer, poultry, and restocking with small ruminants, as well as assistance for alternative livelihoods through small-scale enterprises and other cash-generating activities.

Around 3.4 million need nutrition assistance

An estimated 3.4 million people (children aged 6 – 59 months and pregnant and lactating women) require nutrition assistance in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. Of these, around 450,000 children aged 6 – 59 months will suffer from severe acute malnutrition. In January, 2,731 children were treated for severe acute malnutrition. Seventy-nine per cent of them recovered while 14 per cent dropped out of treatment, five per cent did not survive.

Measles vaccination campaign targets 4 million children in north-east

A comprehensive measles vaccination campaign targeting more than 4 million children (6 months – 10 years) in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe kicked off 13 January. As of 3 February, more than 2.8 million children had been vaccinated across accessible areas of Borno, representing 84 per cent of the targeted number for the state.
Deworming medication and Vitamin A supplements are incorporated in the vaccination programme.

Ninety-eight people airlifted for treatment following Rann airstrike

A total of 98 people were airlifted to Maiduguri for treatment in a four-day medical evacuation following the 17 January airstrike on Rann locality, which hosts around 35,000 IDPs. The airstrike occurred as International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) aid workers were starting to distribute food to the IDPs and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) was vaccinating against measles and also distributing food. ICRC surgical team performed 78 operations in Maiduguri hospitals and treated 107 injured people in Rann, where MSF also treated around 150 patients.

Assessment reveals low food consumption in Dikwa LGA

Up to 89 per cent of households in Dikwa LGA have poor and borderline food consumption (39 per cent and 50 per cent respectively), according to a Rapid Food Security Assessment by World Food Programme published last month. Security restrictions have hindered access to livestock markets, impairing purchasing power of agro-pastoral households. Food production deficit has contributed to reduced availability of food commodities and high prices. The situation could further deteriorate in the coming months, leading to increase in food prices. Sustained food assistance to the most vulnerable will be crucial during the lean season to prevent widespread food insecurity and malnutrition.

UN Central Emergency Response Funds allocates US$22 million

As part of efforts to cover for funding shortfalls impacting response activities across nine most neglected crises globally, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund on 30 January released US$100 million, with Nigeria receiving the largest allocation of $22 million. Humanitarian partners will prioritise food and nutrition, health, shelter, and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) assistance across Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Country-Based Pool Fund for Nigeria

A team from OCHA’s Funding Coordination Section arrived in Nigeria in mid-January to commence groundwork for setting up a Nigeria-based pool fund. Once established, the pool fund – Nigeria Humanitarian Fund – will afford humanitarian partners an additional funding window to respond to urgent needs of affected populations in Nigeria’s northeast region. Six donor agencies have already expressed interest in contributing to the pool fund which is expected to come on stream around April 2017.

Staff security and humanitarian access

The security situation in the north-east remains volatile owing to the ongoing Boko Haram attacks and military counter-offensives. Civilians continue to bear the brunt of the violence and insecurity that also hamper humanitarian access. Outside Maiduguri area, humanitarian organizations are operating in a very insecure environment, necessitating sometimes the use of bullet-proof vehicles to access remote localities. While we take staff safety and security very seriously, the total cost of security measures is less than 1 per cent of the entire humanitarian appeal.

UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator Edward Kallon visit to the north-east

From 12 – 18 January, UN Resident Coordinator/Humanitarian Coordinator for Nigeria Edward Kallon met with key government officials in the northeast including the Governors of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa state, NEMA, SEMA, security officials, traditional and religious leaders to articulate his vision and reaffirm support of the humanitarian community to affected populations in the region.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.