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Nigeria + 3 more

North-East Nigeria: Operational Update, February 2021

Attachments

UNHCR-led vulnerability screening reached nearly 13,000 men, women and children across Adamawa,
Borno and Yobe States this month.

UNHCR’s protection, human rights and border monitoring visits captured nearly 57,000 internally displaced people and refugee returnees in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe (BAY) States in February.

UNHCR and partners raised awareness on protection and COVID19 prevention measures among 38,000 people across the BAY States.

Operational Highlights

■ In February, the North-East continued to witness intense attacks by the non-State armed groups (NSAG). Additionally, abductions and killings occurred at illegal vehicle check points and continued to limit freedom of movement of locals, internally displaced people (IDPs) and humanitarians.

■ In Borno State, several attacks, ambushes, and illegal check points by NSAG continued along main highways such as Maiduguri-Monguno, Maiduguri-Damasak, and Gubio-Magumeri where NSAG collected ID and SIM cards from commuters, robbed motorists of money, phones, food and other valuables. They also attempted infiltration into IDP camps and host communities, resulting in death, looting, abduction, and other related incidents in Dikwa, Rann and Ngala. The State capital Maiduguri was targeted with rockets killing 13 people and injuring others. An attack on Marte town on 14 to 16 February resulted in the influx of people into Dikwa. In addition, ongoing activities of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) (Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon) continued to force people to move to areas of relative safety, including those led by the MJTF to Monguno, Pulka, Bama and Banki, among other locations. Their movement resulted in the death of individuals due to improvised explosive devices near the roadside.

■ Incessant attacks forced residents of four local government areas (LGAs Gubio, Magumeri, Kaga and Konduga) in Borno State to flee to Yobe. Furthermore, fire outbreaks were reported in the farm centre of IDP camps in Monguno, Damasak (Bulama Ari Gwadima and Bulama Sage communities), Dikwa (Kilagoru camp and Zone B of Shuwari camp) and makeshift shelters in Gajiram Nganzai, destroying IDP property, exposing victims to protection risks who were in need of shelter, food and non-food items (NFIs).

■ In Adamawa State, cases of kidnapping, abductions and demands for ransom were reported in Mubi North (Mayo-Bani and Digil Wards), Mubi South (Lamorde Ward) and Madagali (Duhu/Maiwandu Ward)
LGAs. An alleged attack by NSAG in Kirchinga Ward of Madagali was repelled by military forces resulting in panic and tension in the community. Another attack by members of an NSAG forced people to flee from Madagali LGA into Michika town for safety which created some tension.

■ In Yobe State, armed men suspected to be NSAG, attacked INGO staff at Garin Gada community in Yunusari LGA. The humanitarians were in town reportedly on a cash distribution programme when they were attacked and one of their vehicles escaped while the others were trapped in the town. In Geidam town in Geidam LGA, NSAG opened sporadic fire when looing food from many shops leading residents to flee the town for safety. In Kaliyari community along Babbangida-Dapchi road, commuters were stopped and robbed of their phones, money, and other valuables at an irregular checkpoint. Two people were killed when one driver attempted to escape.