The United Nations (UN) has warned about growing violence by Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria, saying tens of thousands of people — mostly women and children —have fled their homes in the conflict-ridden area over the past weeks.
The United Nations (UN) has warned about growing violence by Boko Haram militants in northeastern Nigeria, saying tens of thousands of people — mostly women and children —have fled their homes in the conflict-ridden area over the past weeks.
The international body raised the alarm on Wednesday following heavy clashes between Nigerian government forces and armed militants from the Takfiri terrorist group in Baga Town, on the shores of Lake Chad, about 200 kilometers north of the Borno State capital, Maiduguri.
“More than 30,000 internally displaced people have arrived in Maiduguri, mainly from Baga, in recent weeks. The majority of these people have arrived since December 20, 2018, often after arduous journeys with young children,” said the UN’s humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon.
He said a clash on December 26 triggered a “massive displacement” of civilians, causing men, women, and children to flock to already-overcrowded camps in Maiduguri and struggle with a lack of “humanitarian assistance, notably shelter, food, water and sanitation.”
