Sub-regional Humanitarian Overview
Throughout North East Nigeria and across the border regions in Cameroon, Chad and Niger, children are in critical danger. Insecurity caused by the conflict between the armed group 'Islamic State's in West Africa’, commonly known as ‘Boko Haram’, military forces and civilian self-defense groups in North East Nigeria has escalated into a worsening humanitarian crisis.
Over 1.4 million children were forced to flee conflict and violence. In the past five months, the total number of children on the run has increased by a further 500,000 across the region. In northern Nigeria alone, nearly 1.2 million children – over half of them under 5 years old – have had to leave their homes. An additional 265,000 children have been uprooted in Cameroon, Chad and Niger after their villages were attacked or threatened. Families have often been left with little else than the clothes they were wearing.
The humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate with worsening food insecurity combined with poor access to education, safe drinking water and health services. In the most affected areas health centers have been destroyed. Many health workers have fled while others are not able to access those in need, leaving many families without health services, such as routine immunization, maternal and child care. Children are at risk of dying from diarrhea, malaria or malnutrition. Across the four countries, more than 1100 schools are closed or facing major disruption of services due to the conflict. Teachers and students have been deliberately targeted by armed groups; many classrooms have been damaged, looted or occupied.
Every day children across North East Nigeria, Chad, Niger and Cameroon are missing out on their childhood. They are at risk of being trapped in a cycle of violence - separated from their families, exposed to exploitation and recruited by armed groups. Many children have been killed, maimed and subjected to unimaginable atrocities. Young women and girls have been abducted, subjected to forced marriage, physical and psychological abuse, forced labor and rape. In Northeast Nigeria, the conflict has left approximately 23,000 children separated from their parents.
Since the beginning of this year, there has been a sharp increase in both the frequency and intensity of bombings in Northeast Nigeria and more recently in Cameroon. Women and girls are involved in approximately three-quarters of the attacks. Children don’t instigate the bombings; they are used, often without knowing, to carry bombs that were strapped to their bodies and detonated remotely in public places.