UN relief chief urges focus on civilians impacted by Boko Haram violence in Niger.

Record ID: 102984

  • Title: UN relief chief urges focus on civilians impacted by Boko Haram violence in Niger.
  • Date: 20th May 2016
  • Summary: DIFFA, NIGER (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMEN AND CHILDREN PUMPING WATER WATER IN BUCKET WOMAN WALKING THROUGH AGGASA REFUGEE CAMP CARRYING BUCKET OF WATER ON HER HEAD VARIOUS OF UN UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY RELIEF CO-ORDINATOR, STEPHEN O'BRIEN TALKING TO REFUGEES (SOUNDBITE) (French) STEPHEN O'BRIEN, UN UNDER-SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY RELIEF CO-ORDINATOR, SAYING: "I heard from the people here, who have important needs and need immediate assistance. It's important for us to hear from them, so that we can get support from decision makers from all over the world."
  • Embargoed: 4th June 2016 14:05
  • Keywords: Refugees United Nations Diffa UN Boko Haram Nigeria Violence Crisis
  • Location: BOSSO AND GUESSERE, DIFFA, NIGER
  • City: BOSSO AND GUESSERE, DIFFA, NIGER
  • Country: Niger
  • Topics: Asylum/Immigration/Refugees
  • Reuters ID: LVA0034IM3QS7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Violence by armed groups in Northern Nigeria continues to force a large number of people from their homes as they escape into neighbouring countries, straining already stretched communities and services in poor areas of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.
    At least 150,000 refugees seeking protection from Book Haram attacks in Nigeria now live in Niger's Diffa region.
    Here at the Assaga camp, about 10 kilometers from Diffa, over 15,000 refugees live in difficult conditions and have been forced to sleep in makeshift shelters.
    On a visit to assess the humanitarian situation in Diffa this week, the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Co-ordinator, Stephen O'Brien called for increased humanitarian efforts to maximize scarce resources and to ensure no one is left behind.
    He noted that it was clear from the stories of the people he had met that the humanitarian situation has been worsening though with some security progress.
    "I heard from the people here, who have important needs and need immediate assistance. It's important for us to hear from them, so that we can get support from decision makers from all over the world," he said.
    Niger, Cameroon and Chad have all suffered a spillover of violence from Boko Haram's northern Nigerian strongholds and Niger has arrested at least 1,100 suspected Boko Haram militants this year.
    The influx of refugees has put further strain on one of the poorest nations in Africa, which is already struggling to feed and protect its people in a region that is recovering from drought.
    Refugees here at the Assaga camp say they are struggling to access food and basic necessities.
    "The food that we receive here is not enough to feed everyone. Only 400 people out of 1000 here get food, and that's a big problem. But at least we have access to clean water, but our main problem remains getting food," said Hamza Abdoulaye, who fled to the camp from Nigeria last year.
    Niger's Diffa region has suffered numerous cross-border strikes since last year by Boko Haram, whose stronghold in northeast Nigeria lies just a few kilometers (miles) away.
    A state of emergency, which was first declared in Diffa in February 2015 has been extended by three months in a bid to boost security.
    But the attackers often manage to flee across the River Komadougou, marking the border with Nigeria.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2016. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register