The United Nations is worried that increasing incidents of violence in northeast Nigeria are forcing more people to flee.
The UN humanitarian coordination office (OCHA) on Thursday said escalating attacks by non-state armed groups in the region were triggering the new displacement.
It said that in just 24 hours, more than 2,000 newly displaced people had arrived in Teacher’s Village, an already over-stretched camp in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno state.
OCHA says that humanitarian organizations are supporting the government-led response in providing life-saving assistance, including food, shelter and healthcare.
Moreover, hundreds fleeing conflict have also arrived in Borno State’s overloaded Monguno reception centre where humanitarian organizations are providing shelters, relief kits, and water and sanitation.
According to the agency, more than seven million people in northeast Nigeria required humanitarian assistance, including 1.8 million IDPs.
The northeast part of Nigeria has been dogged by militancy mainly orchestrated by Boko Haram, killing thousands. The militant group has waged an extremist Islamist war in Nigeria for a decade, seeking to topple the government.
During his campaigns for the presidency, Muhammadu Buhari pledged to crush the militant group. While gains have been made in this fight, the group still manages to stage attacks.
