The European Union (EU) has released €225,000 (about N340 million) in humanitarian assistance to support communities affected by conflict-induced displacement in Kebbi State.
The funding will enable the Nigerian Red Cross to provide lifesaving assistance to about 7,700 displaced people across settlements and host communities in the state over six months.
The intervention will focus on multipurpose cash assistance to help affected families meet their immediate needs, as well as protection services for vulnerable groups, including female-headed households, persons with disabilities, elderly people and those facing acute protection risks.
The EU said the response would also involve monitoring population movements and engaging local volunteers, while helping to lay the foundation for longer-term recovery efforts.
The assistance forms part of the EU’s contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
Security in Kebbi has deteriorated following an escalation of armed attacks and communal violence across seven Local Government Areas.
According to the EU, displacement has been ongoing since mid-August, with a sharp escalation in violence around August 31 triggering the humanitarian response. More than 16,600 people have been affected, including 7,706 displaced persons and 108 injured.
The affected communities are facing urgent needs for shelter, food, clean water, healthcare and protection amid a security environment characterised by organised banditry, armed group activity and communal violence.
