West and Central Africa: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (25 – 31 October 2022)

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

PREVENTIVE DISPLACEMENTS IN THE NORTHWEST

About 11,700 people preventively fled from villages on the Bocaranga-Mann axis in the northwestern Ouham-Pendé Prefecture to seek temporary refuge in and near Bocaranga sub-prefecture, following persistent rumors of attacks by non-state armed groups. Humanitarian organizations are assessing displaced people’s needs. The repeated assassinations between groups of civilians have fueled rumors of retaliatory attacks by armed elements.

DR CONGO

CLASHES DISPLACE AT LEAST 186,000 PEOPLE IN NORTH-KIVU

Since 20 October, renewed fighting between the Congolese army and a non-state armed group has forced at least 186,000 people to flee their homes in Rutshuru territory, eastern North-Kivu province. More than 45,000 of them have settled in neighbouring Nyiragongo territory and 12,000 more have crossed the border into Uganda. Despite access constraints, humanitarian actors have begun assisting displaced people in Nyiragongo territory, where a food distribution targeting about 50,000 people was launched on 1 November. Also, humanitarian actors are supplying water and healthcare to both the displaced and host communities, including psychological support to some 2,000 children. However, the needs still exceed present capacities, with the most urgent being water, hygiene and sanitation infrastructures, essential household items, shelter, food, health care and protection. More than 232,000 civilians have been displaced across Rutshuru and Nyiragongo territories since March when violence first broke out.

NIGER

MASSIVE DISPLACEMENTS AND INCREASED HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

Since the start of the year, according to humanitarian organizations, about 377,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) have been registered nationwide, an increase of 43 per cent compared to the number of people registered in September 2021. Violence and armed conflict are the main causes of forced displacement. The Government’s IDP voluntary return process is underway in the Diffa region, in the southeast. The western Tillaberi region is one of the most insecure areas with more than 153,000 IDPs. As for refugees from neighboring countries, about 254,000 have sought refuge in Niger. To date, some 327,000 people have been affected by floods countrywide. Consequently, humanitarian needs are high and continue to grow.

NIGERIA

FLOODS KILL 603, AFFECT OVER THREE MILLION SINCE JULY

Nigeria has experienced heavy rains and devastating floods that have caused loss of life, people’s displacement and extensive destruction of houses, farms, and infrastructure. Since July, over three million people have been affected in 34 states in the worst flooding the country has seen in over a decade. At least 603 people have died and over 2,400 have been injured. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), over 1.4 million people have been displaced due to the floods as of 24 October. Access remains a challenge in affected area, putting at risk isolated communities that can only be reached by boat and delaying the humanitarian response.

Source: UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs