Nigeria

17 June 2025

Between 13–14 June 2025, armed herders attacked Yelewata in Guma local government area, Benue state, killing over 200 people and triggering the widespread displacement of over 6,500 individuals, including 3,000 relocated to the newly established Ultra Modern Market IDP Camp in Makurdi. The incident is part of a broader trend of violence in the region and has heightened insecurity in surrounding communities, prompting secondary displacement. The destruction of homes, food stores, and market infrastructure has severely affected people’s livelihoods. Priority needs include emergency shelter, food assistance, healthcare, clean water, and adequate sanitation. Psychosocial support is also critical, particularly for the 408 displaced children. Violence in Benue and neighbouring Plateau state, where over 100 people have been killed since April, continues to undermine stability. The growing displaced population is straining host communities and humanitarian response capacity. (UNICEF 17/06/2025, HumAngle 17/06/2025, AP 14/06/2025)

03 June 2025

Since 29 May 2025, intense rainfall has triggered devastating flash floods in Kpege-Mokwa town, Mokwa local government area of Niger state, north-central Nigeria. The floods have killed over 153 people and displaced more than 3,000, including over 1,600 children under 12 and approximately 380 lactating mothers. The situation worsened when a nearby dam collapsed, significantly increasing the floodwaters and devastation across the region. The floods have severely damaged critical infrastructure, including roads and bridges, and destroyed 264 homes. The devastation has disrupted Mokwa’s role as a key transit hub linking southern traders with northern food producers. More than 10,000 hectares of farmland have been lost, affecting food security and livelihoods across Niger and neighbouring states. Urgent humanitarian needs include emergency shelter, clean water and sanitation, and psychosocial support, especially for children. Continued rainfall is expected in north-central Nigeria. (AJ 01/06/2025, UNICEF 03/06/2025, OCHA 02/06/2025)

15 April 2025

At least 51 people were killed in the early hours of Monday, 14 April 2025, in Zikke and Kimakpa villages in Bassa district, Plateau state, Nigeria. The gunmen, suspected to be cattle herders, launched the attack while residents were asleep, leaving several others injured. The incident follows a series of deadly attacks in Plateau, including one in the previous week that left 52 dead and displaced nearly 2,000 people across affected communities. The needs of those affected remain unknown. (Reuters 14/04/2025, AP 15/04/2025, HumAngle 14/04/2025)

20 March 2025

The USAID funding freeze enacted in early 2025 has significantly contributed to severe funding gaps for humanitarian response programmes in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states, causing cascading failures across critical sectors: healthcare systems struggle with medicine and staff shortages, hampering the cholera and measles outbreak response; nutrition programmes have reduced coverage, increasing risks for children with severe acute malnutrition; and shelter, NFI, and camp coordination and management services face delays or suspensions, leaving displaced people without basic protection. A mid-February survey assessing the impact of the funding freeze on implementing responders confirmed these service gaps, documenting severe operational disruptions across Borno state as organisations scaled down critical services. With reduced capacity among humanitarian responders and no immediate alternatives to fill the void, overstretched response systems are failing to meet basic needs, leaving vulnerable communities with rapidly deteriorating access to lifesaving aid. (CCCM Cluster et al. 16/03/2025, OCHA 12/03/2025, BBC 18/03/2025)

21 January 2025

The northwest of Nigeria continues to face high levels of humanitarian needs caused by long-standing ethnic and religious tensions and banditry, often leading to violence against civilians. On 8 January, armed groups carried out multiple attacks in Zamfara State, killing five people and abducting over 200, primarily women and children. This incident followed a similar attack in Gana town on 5 January, where 46 individuals were kidnapped. By June 2024, over 670,000 people were displaced across, Kaduna, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara states.

Insecurity in Zamfara has severely disrupted access to essential healthcare services, leaving communities without basic medical care. Frequent attacks by armed groups have forced the closure of some health facilities, while others operate at reduced capacity because of staff shortages and security concerns. Access to healthcare facilities remains a significant challenge, particularly for women seeking maternal services, as the fear of attacks and the remoteness of certain areas hinder their ability to receive timely and essential care. Many residents face difficulties accessing vaccinations for preventable diseases, further intensifying public health risks.

(ECHO 10/01/2025, [IOM 18/04/2024] (https://dtm.iom.int/reports/nigeria-north-central-and-north-west-round-14-idp-atlas-june-2024), MSF 16/01/2025)

22 October 2024

In North West Nigeria, particularly in Kaduna, Katsina, and Zamfara states, banditry has severely disrupted healthcare and education services. Health workers face abductions, the looting of medical supplies, and the destruction or seizure of healthcare facilities. Insecurity has also led to the closure of numerous health centres, especially in local government areas such as Maru, Shinkafi, and Zurmi, requiring residents to travel long distances to state capitals or neighbouring states for medical care. Bandits have taken over over 168 schools in Zamfara, and their attacks have displaced nearly 700,000 people and disrupted agricultural activities, leading to worsening food insecurity. As a result, 13.5 million people face acute food shortages, with 460,000 experiencing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) food insecurity levels. (ACSS 21/10/2024, HumAngle 03/02/2024)

15 October 2024

Since July 2024, floods in Nigeria have inundated 31 of the 36 states in the country and affected 1.2 million people. The most affected state is Borno state, with around 420,000 affected people. The floods have damaged or destroyed around 117,000 houses and affected around 180,000 cultivated farmlands. At least 50,000 displaced people are still residing in emergency shelters. Urgent humanitarian needs include food, potable water, shelter, NFIs (such as mosquito nets, mats, and hygiene kits), access to WASH services, healthcare support, and protection services, especially for women, children, and people with disabilities. (OCHA 15/10/2024)