Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri
Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) otherwise called Doctors Without Borders has said the situation of in the North-east region, the theatre of Boko Haram crisis, is getting worse with the conflict intensifying and the needs of the people remaining massive.
The MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria, Luis Eguiluz, in an interview on the organisation’s website, said: “After more than 10 years of conflict between non-state armed groups and the Nigerian military, the situation is only getting worse. The conflict is intensifying and the needs are massive. The United Nations estimates that there are more than two million people who have been displaced from their homes due to violence, and more than seven million people depend entirely on humanitarian aid to survive.”
He said: “The most serious problem is that there are more than a million people living in areas controlled by non-state armed groups-humanitarian organisations do not have access to these areas and the people living there do not receive any kind of aid at all.”
The MSF Head of Mission in Nigeria lamented that though the conflict may be nothing new, “this crisis is extreme, and it is happening right now; in our projects, we are witnessing the impact that it has on human beings.
“The security situation has clearly deteriorated in recent months, and it is a challenge for humanitarian organisations to provide adequate assistance to the people.”
On the challenges faced, Eguiluz said: “On one hand, organisations face the risk of violence-unfortunately, the killings and abductions of humanitarian staff have increased in recent months-and because of this, the presence of aid is very limited outside the Borno State capital, Maiduguri.
“On the other hand, counter-terrorism laws in Nigeria impose real limitations on humanitarian action and principles.”
“In ‘garrison towns’ controlled by the Nigerian military, there are still critical needs that are not covered, especially when it comes to healthcare, clean water, shelter and protection. In many cases, people are totally dependent on humanitarian aid to survive.”
He revealed that: “In the case of Pulka, the population has tripled since the beginning of the conflict and there isn’t enough farmland to cultivate food. In addition, people cannot go beyond the town’s military perimeter. If they do, they run the risk of being attacked by non-state armed groups or being considered part of the armed groups by the Nigerian military.
“And outside the garrison towns, the needs are expected to be even higher since there are more than one million people that have not received humanitarian assistance since the beginning of the conflict.
“The severity of this crisis simply is not being addressed properly by the government of Nigeria and international organisations. We must continue working and pressing for humanitarian action.”
Eguiluz said: “In our projects, we run outreach programmes, which identify people who are more vulnerable and at risk of violence, exploitation or the loss of basic rights or services. Our first priority is to ensure medical care.
“Then based on their needs, we identify organisations that ensure access to appropriate assistance and services, such as child protection. This is especially important in the case of unaccompanied minors who reach these garrison towns. Often, these children have experienced several episodes of violence and may easily become victims of further abuse.
“We are seeing more cases because we have been able to finally reach people, and often, survivors of sexual violence do not seek attention due to stigma and fear, so in our outreach and protection activities, we have worked to build a relationship with the community based on trust.
“In this context, there are no protection mechanisms that would serve to prevent these abuses in normal situations, or at least to mitigate their consequences.
“Of course; displaced people who do not have enough food or fuel or water are far more vulnerable to exploitation or abuse. As I said before, going outside the security perimeter to obtain food or essential items like firewood entails significant risks – those who do go beyond the perimeter are often attacked by armed groups.”
He decried that “the severity of this crisis simply is not being addressed properly by the Nigerian Government and international organisations. We must continue working and pressing for humanitarian action to this crisis.”
