NEMA: Insurgency Displaces Three Million People In N’East In Three Months

The National Emergency Management Agency on Tuesday said three million people were displaced by insurgency in the North-East between January and March.

NEMA Director-General Mohammad Sani-Sidi made this known at the 7th National Humanitarian Coordination meeting organised by NEMA for donor agencies in the country in Abuja.

Sani-Sidi said NEMA in collaboration with the Red Cross and State Emergency Management Agencies in affected states, carried out a comprehensive multi-sector rapid assessment of humanitarian situation in the areas.

Represented by Dr Zanna Mohammad, NEMA’s Director of Administration, Sani-Sidi said the assessment was carried out between March 3 and March 7.

“The assessment report findings revealed that from January to March alone, insurgency and other humanitarian challenges have affected more than three million people.

“The insurgency left scores dead and displaced more than 249,446 people, who are in camps or living with host communities,” he said.

He said the meeting was to review the humanitarian situation in states affected by the state of emergency.

The director-general said the meeting was to explore avenues for further response by national and international humanitarian actors.

He said although NEMA had intervened through the provision of food and non-food items, water and medicaments, the needs of the affected population were on the increase.

He solicited the support of all donor agencies in alleviating the sufferings of those affected.

“Let me use this opportunity to call on all actors -local and international- to share with NEMA their plans and intention for providing support to Nigerians in distress.

“This is desirable to avoid duplication of efforts, confusion and inefficiency,” he said.