Not yet uhuru, Dambazau admits as UN calls for more support amid upsurge in Boko Haram attacks

Despite claims that the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram has been technically defeated, Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. (Rtd) Abdulrahman Bello has admitted that more still needs to be done before relative peace can be restored to the north east and Lake Chad Basin region.

The minister who spoke at the simultaneous launching of the 2019 to 2021 humanitarian response strategy for north-east Nigeria and regional refugee response plan in Abuja, on Tuesday conceded that security is still a major challenge in the affected areas of the north east and Lake Chad region.

Whilst commending the United Nations and its partners, the minister recognized the need for more collaboration amongst stakeholders and strict implementation of the newly launched strategy for it to achieved its objectives.

The United Nations agencies and partners are asking for $983 million to cater to the humanitarian needs of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees in Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroun.

Of the total sum $848 million is needed to implement the humanitarian response strategy while $135 million is required for the regional refugee response plan to provide food, water, shelter and protection to IDPs and refugees, a statement from the UN says.

The strategy which is the first to be adopted amongst humanitarian actors in Nigeria seeks to guide the next three years of humanitarian action in the troubled Lake Chad region.

An estimated 6.2 million people worst-hit by Boko Haram crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states are targeted by humanitarian organizations.  With this estimates, the UN is targeting almost the same number of people in 2018 with less budget due to the assessed needs and the realistic capacity to deliver aid.

This year’s budget which is around $250 million less than the previous year represents about 36 per cent of the total funds realised from donors in 2018.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had earlier expressed worry over renewed attacks by Boko Haram in the north east adding that the escalation in the conflict has thwarted people’s intention of returning to their homes.

Calling for a broader response, the Regional Refugee Coordinator for Nigerian refugees and UNHCR Regional Representative for West Africa, Ms. Liz Kpam Ahua, noted that statistics of Nigerian refugees arriving very remote and poor communities in neighbouring countries has continued to rise.

“Some refugees that attempted to return to their homes and communities have become displaced multiple times in their own country or have retreated to Cameroon, Chad and Niger to continue in exile. It is time to broaden our response towards a longer term approach, to support those forced to flee and the communities hosting them, as they are already living below the poverty line and in dire need as their capacity to help those displaced is stretched to the limit,” she said.

According to the UN report, 2.5 million people are displaced across the Lake Chad region, with 1.8 million in Nigeria alone and 228,500 being refugees in neighbouring countries.

The report also highlighted that the recent upsurge in violence in north-east Nigeria has displaced over 80,000 civilians living in different camps or in town in Borno State thereby subjecting them to increased hardship while over 15,000 have fled to neighbouring Cameroon and Chad in the past weeks.