Red Cross: 55,000 north-east residents displaced in the last two months

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it is extremely concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in north-east.

In a statement on Monday, the humanitarian organisation said 55,000 people have been displaced in the last two months, while Maiduguri, Borno state capital, already hosts more than one million internally displaced persons (IDPs).

ICRC said a health facility in Rann and shelters for IDPs were burnt down a few days ago by Boko Haram tinsurgents.

According to ICRC, the affected health facility was where two of its midwives, who were killed in captivity, once worked.

Markus Dolder, head of ICRC’s office in Maiduguri, said parents who fled with their children sleep in the open air in the bush, as camps were getting overpopulated due to the worsening situation.

“Thousands of families caught in between the fighting have had to flee for their lives. Parents with their children, taking the little they could, escaped into the bush and slept in the open air. Some managed to reach places — ‘camps’ — where they can receive some assistance, but what about the others?” Dolder said.

“We are extremely concerned by the worsening humanitarian situation in north-east Nigeria. Civilians should be spared by all parties to the conflict, as per international humanitarian law.”

ICRC said it has launched an emergency response with its partners in providing more shelters for the new influx of IDPs.