Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The United Nations has, again, warned that the security situation in the North-eEast, particularly in Borno State, remained volatile, stressing the need to ease the humanitarian pressure on the Lake Chad countries.
The global body said the situation is precarious for civilians, aid workers, humanitarian cargo, and assets.
The warning is coming against the backdrop of the killing of about 78 farmers by the Boko Haram insurgents.
The Country Representative, United Nations High Commission for Refugees Nigeria, Ms. Chansa Kapaya, handed down the warning at a stakeholder meeting on the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees in Abuja, yeserday attended by Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State and the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Mrs Sadiya Farouk.
She said more internally displaced persons were leaving their communities for Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, and noted the importance of enhancing refugee self-reliance to ease the pressure on the host countries.
Kapaya said “More Internally Displaced Persons have been forced to leave their homes with over 2 million internally displaced while another 300,000 Nigerians displaced externally have sought refuge in the neighbouring Lake Chad Basin countries of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
“The operating environment remains extremely volatile, particularly in Borno State, for civilians, aid workers, humanitarian cargo and assets.”
She commended Nigeria’s exemplary regional leadership for its commitment to the implementation of the Global Compact on Refugees affirmed by the United Nations General Assembly in December 2018.
The GCR is an act of solidarity, recognizing the international community’s shared responsibility for protecting, assisting and finding solutions to refugees.
The official said the UN in Nigeria is also implementing approaches aligned with the GCR and the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework through the UN Sustainable Development and Partnership Framework 2018 -2022.
“Looking ahead, it is essential to develop a roadmap that lays out concrete next steps and priorities, identifies operational entry points and defines indicators for short- and longer-term progress in areas such as health, education, water, sanitation, jobs and livelihoods, energy, infrastructure, solutions and protection capacity,” Kapaya suggested.
