ReliefWeb

Crisis overview

Newly accessible areas of Borno and Yobe states and areas with active military operations face severely limited access to food. Levels of malnutrition are critical and populations face a substantially increased risk of mortality. These areas are classified as Emergency (IPC Phase 4). Outcomes are likely worse in conflict affected areas that are inaccessible to humanitarians. Information from these areas is limited but raises the possibility that Famine (IPC Phase 5) is occurring (FEWSNET 13/08/2016). The crude mortality rate (CMR) has surpassed the threshold of 2/10,000/day – used when classifying Famine (IPC Phase 5) – in several areas since June (FEWSNET 13/08/2016). 800,000 people are in urgent need of food support in Yobe and Borno (OCHA 24/06/2016).
As of July, 500,000 people displaced or cut off in enclaves in Borno are in urgent need of food, medical care, drinking water and shelter. 244,000 children in Borno are severely malnourished. One in five of them will die if they receive no treatment (OCHA 15/08/2016)

Key findings

Anticipated scope and scale: Extreme malnutrition and food insecurity have been reported in pockets of Borno and Yobe states. Most affected areas in Borno are near the Sambisa forest, including Bama, Damboa, Monguno, and Gwoza Local Government Areas (LGAs), and parts of Kaga and Konduga in eastern Borno. Additional areas of concern include greater Maiduguri and southern Yobe state.

Priorities for humanitarian intervention Food: Famine (IPC Phase 5) is likely to be occurring in the worst affected and less accessible pockets of Borno state.
Nutrition: A large number of SAM cases have been reported in pockets of Borno and Yobe states.
Health: An unknown number of cases of measles, malaria, diarrhoea, and vomiting have been reported across Borno. Two new polio cases were reported in northern Borno.
WASH: In IDP camps and in newly accessible areas, access to safe drinking water is limited and sanitation is poor.
Protection: The blurring of the lines between civilian and insurgent, and between humanitarian intervention and security surveillance, allows for abuse of IDPs and host communities to go unreported.

Humanitarian constraints

• Northern Borno: Abadam, Mobbar, and parts of Bama, Dikwa, Guzamala, Gubio, Kala/Balge, Kukawa, Mafa, Marte, Ngala, and Nganzai LGAs remain largely inaccessible.

• BH attacks and battles between the military and BH are causing insecurity and disrupting aid convoys. Military escort is imposed for humanitarian actors seeking to reach certain areas. A UN convoy was attacked in late July near Bama.

• Theft and looting of aid from the military have been reported. Soldiers are frequently tasked with relief distribution, particularly in remote areas where conflict is ongoing, and they are restricting food distribution in these areas.

Limitations

No information is available for inaccessible areas in the north of Borno. Only limited information regarding sectoral needs is available for large parts of Borno and Yobe states.