The United Nations World Food Programme has warned that thousands of people in Nigeria’s North-East are facing the risk of catastrophic food shortages for the first time in nearly a decade, as cuts in humanitarian funding worsen hunger and malnutrition across the region.

The UN agency said on Friday that about 15,000 people in Borno State are at risk, while more than 13 million children across the North-East are projected to suffer malnutrition this year.

According to the WFP, prolonged conflict, displacement and mounting economic pressures have fuelled food insecurity for years, but recent reductions in humanitarian assistance are now pushing vulnerable communities beyond their ability to cope.

“The reduced funding we saw in 2025 has deepened hunger and malnutrition across the region,” the WFP’s Deputy Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Sarah Longford, said.

She noted that the crisis extends beyond Nigeria, adding that about 55 million people are currently facing severe food shortages across West and Central Africa, with more than three-quarters of those affected living in Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Although the agency did not disclose specific funding figures, it said humanitarian organisations have been raising concerns since the administration of former United States President Donald Trump began reducing foreign aid under its “America First” policy, while Britain and other countries also cut aid budgets to boost defence spending.

The WFP said funding shortfalls in 2025 had already forced it to scale back nutrition programmes in Nigeria, affecting more than 300,000 children. The agency had earlier warned that nearly 35 million people could face hunger as its resources were expected to run out in December.

“In Nigeria, WFP will only be able to reach 72,000 people in February, a drastic reduction from the 1.3 million assisted during the 2025 lean season,” it said.
Elsewhere, the agency noted that insecurity in Mali has disrupted major food supply routes, leaving about 1.5 million people facing crisis levels of hunger, while more than 500,000 people in Cameroon risk being cut off from humanitarian assistance in the coming weeks.

The WFP said it urgently requires more than $453m over the next six months to sustain life-saving humanitarian operations across West and Central Africa.

It warned that without immediate resources and action, millions of the most vulnerable people in the region could face yet another dire year.

“To break the cycle of hunger for future generations, we need a paradigm shift in 2026. National governments and their partners must increase investment in preparedness, anticipatory action and resilience-building to empower communities,” Longford said.

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has ordered the immediate closure of the Gomboru drug market in Maiduguri following severe flooding that submerged the area and contaminated the drugs sold within the market.

In a statement posted on its official X handle, NAFDAC disclosed that the decision was made after reports surfaced that contaminated drugs, which had been washed and sun-dried for resale, were being sold at the market.

“After the recent flooding in Maiduguri that submerged the Gomboru drug market where contaminated drugs were washed and sun-dried for resale, the @DGatNAFDAC ordered the immediate closure of the market to conduct a thorough shop-to-shop removal of these compromised drugs,” the agency wrote.

The flooding, which ravaged Maiduguri, was triggered by the rupture of the Alau dam on the Ngadda River, located 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the city.

The floodwaters claimed at least 30 lives and displaced 400,000 residents, leaving large parts of the city and surrounding areas in devastation.

NAFDAC’s intervention is aimed at safeguarding public health by preventing the sale and consumption of contaminated drugs.

The agency has mobilized teams to inspect the market and ensure the removal of all compromised pharmaceutical products.

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The Divisional Police Officer of New Marte in Marte Local Government Area of Borno State has been killed by members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP).

According to reports, the DPO, a Superintendent of Police, was killed on Monday night while defending the police station at the resettled community from the terrorists who sneaked into the community on foot in the middle of the night.

Confirming the death on Wednesday, the spokesman for the Borno State Police Command, Nahun Kenneth, said the Command is still gathering details of the attack.

However, a military personnel serving in New Marte disclosed that the terrorists targeted one of the residents of the community who got hint and ran to the police station for protection.

The military personnel further mentioned that the terrorists entered the town on foot without their usual motorcycles and vehicles.

New Marte, situated 93 kilometers from Maiduguri at the fringes of the Lake Chad region, is a resettled community which was initially overrun by the terrorists but was rebuilt by the administration of Professor Babagana Zulum.

ISWAP and rival group Boko Haram still launch sporadic ambushes on convoys from their hideouts and plant landmines along the highway.

In January, 17 people were killed along the highway in two separate mine blasts that were blamed on jihadists. Ten more people were killed by a landmine in April.

Nigeria’s grinding conflict has killed 40,000 and displaced around two million from their homes in the northeast since 2009. The violence has spilled over into neighbouring Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

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Once again, Igangan, in Ibarapa North Local Government, have come under frenzy attack by the men from the cockpit of hell which has left the community torn apart with blood flowed on nook and crannies of the town, with houses ransacked and burned by the gun wielding bandits , shooting anyone at sight and setting ablaze people’s property.

I grew up and spent the first eighteen years of my life in Eruwa, Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo state. While growing up in Eruwa, a man could be assured of his safety by sleeping outside till day break without trepidation and fearful agony of being kidnapped. These things were a given we thought not until the herders discovered that there is an easier means of making money than charging through the thick forest with cows, hence many abandoned their pastoral life  for kidnapping for ransom, highway robbers, banditry among others.

Last year,  similar scenario played out between seriki Fulani boys and Igangan people  which led to the emergency of Igbohoism and put the whole of Ibarapa, a region known for her suzerainty atmosphere on the world map for a reason we did not wish, but couldn’t help.

Unfortunately, this attack was a child’s play compared to the incident of the attacked experienced in Igangan in the last few days, as the town now attracted bandits from the cockpit of hell killing people at will without anyone to put a stop to their nefarious activities.

The Igangan attack was one violent too many. The mode of operation (where siege was laid to a whole town for more than an hour  by the bandits numbered fifty (50), who came in through Iganna, a border town  between Nigeria and Benin Republic on bicycle. This mode of operation is not different from how bandits operate in Katsina, Zamfara  and other banditry enclave state, and  boko-haram prone towns. The number of causality, the number of those men from the cockpits of  hell involved,  and the  horrific proportion scale of the loss of lives and property,  made it probably the worst attack in ibarapa land in recent times .  He, who feels the pains, knows the pain.

The pictures coming from Igangan  broke me down . Sadly, by the time the men from the cockpit of the hell left through thick forest  Ofoki river, lifeless bodies were  liters all over the place, with dead body of more than 50 people have reportedly picked in the surrounding forest and very many sustained injuries while running away from the hullabaloo .

Will all of us abandon our homes because of these provocative attacks by the bandits ? Not possible!

There are many dimensions and ways in which these incessant attacks could be laid to rest. We can’t continue to wait for the government while our people become a cow being slaughter by Fulani herdsmen on a daily basis. It’s time to write to  the Inspector General of Police (IGP) for establishment of a well equipped special mobile police unit in the region.

Also, as forms of immediate safety net, the state government should outlaw the uses of motorcycle beyond 5:00pm in the region, as this will enable necessary preventive measure against the enemy of the state.

But far more critical, is the need for the establishment of state forestry guild trained and empowered with sophisticated weapons that could counter that of  the bandits and not embarrassed  guns carried by the much celebrated Amotekun.

In many of these insecurities brouhaha, government has lost people’s confidence, if not, how could bandits penetrated a town like Igangan without any wind of the news for counter measures even when the intelligence report suggested possible reprisal attack. To avoid bloodshed, government must demonstrate beyond statement that they are on the side of the people.

In the long run, it is never too late for structural readjustment in confronting issues tearing us apart and this lead to the issue of restructuring. The country need reorganization, the dominance of power at the center has proven to be a fail model. Since 1999, that Nigeria has returned to democracy, despite oil boom; there has not been much gain compare to when Nigeria was practicing regional system of government.

Every successive governments have not been able to rally her citizens toward harnessing our greatness. The alternative we abandoned for life of easy oyel money has proven to be much more effective owing to our diversity. From the North, to the South, each state of the federation has one advantage over the other, the practice of waiting for ‘Abuja order’  before the state government can go after criminal elements is a miscalculation model that will kill this country if the country did not kill it.

According to Mrs. Bamidele Ademola Olateju, every miscalculation based on the old order will move us towards plebiscite and fighting to hold on to the last vestige of privilege is not a strategy at all, it’s a loser’s mindset. It’s time to use this period of constitutional review to push  for dismantle of this system that had kept us away from one another on account of mutual suspicion that make it impossible to live together  peacefully.

A country like ours is too big for central policing system; the national assembly as a matter of urgency needs to heed to the cry of Nigerians toward amendment or total overhaul of 1999 constitution to allow for a constitution that reflect and promote our diversity. For instance, creation of state police and restructuring has generated mutual suspicions between the South and the North, this mutual suspicion can be resolved to promote security of lives of citizens which is the first indices of good governance.

Unfortunately, we have been let down by the government at all levels . I do hope government will put on her thinking cap to find a lasting solution to this incessant attacks, if not it is a matter of time before people resolved to self help .

A trying time for us in Ibarapa, may God console the families of the victims; indeed, it was a day of horror in Igangan and the whole of Ibarapa.

Adediji Wasiu, writes from Ibarapa , Oyo state, Southwest Nigeria.

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There, Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states comprise “one of the most pronounced, multi-faceted, and complex humanitarian and development crises known to the international community today,” UNDP’s 2018 Nigeria Human Development report found—more than two years before the zoonotic pathogen we now know as a novel coronavirus brought economies, livelihoods, and lives to a sudden, painful halt.

As all of Nigeria reels from a 55 percent drop in the price of its leading export, oil, experts say the country’s northeast stands to suffer most as a result of the pandemic—particularly its 1.8 million internally displaced people, living in overcrowded camps and already struggling to survive. The health care system in all three states is fractured, with 35 percent of health facilities damaged by conflict and routine vaccination campaigns and other essential health services already disrupted.

UNDP’s rapid COVID-19 socioeconomic assessment, which will inform policies and programs to help the country recover, envisages three possible scenarios in the northeast:

– Violent extremist groups such as Boko Haram could step up recruitment by exploiting vulnerable people or take advantage of security vacuums as the government pivots to contain the outbreak or as outbreaks occur within the military or police.

– A complete lockdown without protection for vulnerable populations in a conflict setting—where social bonds are weak—could trigger further unrest, which would make containing the virus even more difficult.

– Lockdown could also threaten peacebuilding work by humanitarian and security actors, who play a vital role in rebuilding social bonds, reintegrating ex-combatants, and restoring livelihoods.

Possible responses include halting the rotation of security personnel, setting up testing, quarantine, and isolation centers within military barracks and camps, and raising awareness of key hygiene practices and COVID-19 symptoms. Keeping supply chains intact and expanding the land area of extremely crowded IDP camps in the Northeast will be essential, the assessment finds.

UNDP and other agencies respond

Across the country, Nigeria—with more than 200 million people—has extremely limited health care resources, with only 330 intensive care facilities, five COVID-19 testing and treatment centers, and just 100 beds in a designated isolation facility in the capital, Lagos—with graver shortfalls in the northeast.

To help meet emerging needs, UNDP and other agencies have shipped in ventilators and other essential medical supplies. An initial shipment included 50 A30 ventilators and personal protective equipment procured with funds from the COVID-19 Basket Fund, launched in April.

UNDP is helping to create emergency employment opportunities—restoring trade flows and supporting the smooth functioning of markets shoring up food security in the hardest-hit communities—and supported the creation of public service announcements with celebrities aimed at tackling gender-based and domestic violence, which spike globally during crises.

It’s also helped launch a National COVID-19 Response Plan around 10 pillars that include scaling up surveillance, testing, isolation, contact-tracing, infection prevention and control; case management of COVID-19 patients; risk communication and community engagement; emergency preparedness, security, and logistics for mass care; and resource mobilization.

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This is the first step towards starving terrorist organisation like bokoharam, the reason to exist, they are the most targeted group for terrorist organization. Since the alimajiri run errands for strangers, scavenges left overs food, sleep on sidewalks and street pavements, they are easy to lure against their own will by bokoharam as bomb carrier, thus, endangered population. So, this approach must be pursued holistically and not in half measures else it becomes a “riverboat gambling.”

Furthermore, the parallel between progressive culture and retrogrssive one must draw, the so called Alimajiri system left children vulnerable to an environment of hopelessness and in their desperation to find food, they often end up become available tool for terrorist group and often adopted as foot soldier, suicide bombers to strike the society. Should such culture continue?

Each time there is an attempt to reform alimajiri system in other to do away with the abuses associated with it, people often mistaken this to be fight against Islam and northern culture, against this background I ask what are the benefits of this system to Islam In fact it has continued to give the religion bad image and majorly the Islamic cleric produced through this method in most cases are half baked cleric, given all sort of opinion that is contradicting to the known established sunnah and ayat of Quran.

Undoubtedly, Islam encourages learning as exemplified in the first Surah of Quran revealed to Prophet Muhammad ( Peace be upon him) says “Iqra Bismillaih Rabbikallazi Khalaq, khalaqal insaana min Alaq, Iqra wa Rabbuka Akram Allazii allama bil Qalam Allama insaana maa ya lam” (read in the name of your lord of your Lord, who created man from clot, read and the Lord is the most bounteous, Who teach with pen, Teachth man that which he knew knot) this emphasis the importance of knowledge , however, we know that through civilizations, different kinds of knowledge, has brought the progresses of man in different fields pivot on the existence of the ‘pen’ thus this surah encourage learning, because learning has always been a part of every intellectual society.

However, learning must be done in a way that promotes both the basic human and society values in conformity with modern style and this can’t be achieved by subjecting the children to physical, sexual, and intellectual abuse.

In my view, Alimajiri system have out leave it usefulness in this age of globalization, or else it’s married with modern learning technique to bring the uniqueness of the system if there is any. Almajiri originally set up as part of the wider Islamic practice of dedication to learning, intention of the Almajiri system of education cannot be faulted due to religious and socio-cultural needs of the society committed through learning by heart but today due to poor infrastructure, lack of government firm control and abysmal quality of teachers in alimajiri system, the failure of this system became more acute pronounced thus it has become synonymous to seeking alms, begging, and sometimes engaging in criminal activity as a result of their basic survival needs not being met.

Undoubtedly, the ideologies of Alimajiri is what give birth to terrorism in the northern region and and to extinguish fanaticism and terrorism, it cannot be prevent by the use of force alone, it root causes must be address by placing emphases on education of the destitute in the society towards creating a balance system that offers mind lifting teachings before reuniting them back to the society.

We must acknowledge that the Boko Haram, banditry etc wars that have raged in Borno, Maiduguri, Yobe, and other northeast state has being on because there is nexus between the Boko Haram organization and alimajiri, of which the military approach alone have proven not to be a total solution despite huge amount billions of budgeted each year since the war started, it’s time we adopt intellectual approach by targeting it’s root causes.

It’s time to redefine the context of alimajiri in today’s global knowledge economy by reengaging the almajiri children in a productive endeavor in other to end this abusive system that has continue to make them a suspectible tool in the hand of bokoharam against their wishes.

To defeat this embodiment of a malicious ideology, it is first necessary to define exactly what is the relationship between alimajirci and slow pace of human development index in the north, what future this moribund system has to offer in the near future, and why is it necessary to get rid of it or to continue. I leave you to answer those questions in the best objectively.

The solution has three components, the first approach is winning the battle using intellectual approach this begin by concerted political will to totally do away with alimajiri system. Notwithstanding, the solution can’t be achieved without the cooperation of the district heads, traditional rulers, ulama , parents, civil society organisations and the government. The north can’t afford to fold it arm, ignore the danger on the horizon, another vicious cycle of war won’t do the region any better than self destruction.

Also,  setting them up for greatness, It’s by counter this abusive and malignant ideology through proper rehabilitation by enlightened and open up their minds through counselling before reuniting them back to the society, else doing otherwise will impacts the society, the extent to which no one can predict, such flames know no borders. Only one thing can stop a mind who is ready to die for fictional seven (7) virgin, a stronger ideology and counseling that convinces him that such ideology or believe have no place in Islam.

Lastly, the region is home to more than 70 million young people , this period offers government the opportunity to inspire them with hope and do everything necessary to improve the quality of life by flatten the poverty curve in the region, and improve the quality of education. it’s not enough to build fine structures without capacity to run it and to create economic opportunities for their sustainable development.

In my view, this is the most sustainable answer and alternative to alimajiri. I am optimistic, because I know that the people of the north with their hardworking derserves stability and prosperity that are stronger and more enduring than opportunistic and destructive alimajiri ideas.

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Despite the risks, this Nigerian health worker was devoting his life to treating vulnerable internally displaced persons who have lost everything during the conflict raging in the north-east. He had no travel history outside of Borno State and made the ultimate sacrifice.

Aid organisations, under the lead of the World Health Organisation (WHO), are working closely with the National Center for Disease Control (NCDC), Borno State Government, the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, to trace anyone whom the nurse may have been in contact with in Borno State, and to bolster measures to prevent the spread of the virus and protect IDPs and communities in Borno State.

The humanitarian community reaffirms it is working closely with Nigerian authorities. Together, all actors are doing their utmost to reinforce protection and prevention measures against COVID-19.

Aid workers are following NCDC guidance and all staff that arrived from abroad before the airport shut down have gone into self-isolation. Humanitarian actors have adapted their way of working to prevent the spread of the virus. Quarantine facilities are being set up across the state by aid workers, in support of Borno State authorities, and particularly at all points of entry from neighbouring countries. A COVID-19 treatment facility and a testing laboratory have been established in Maiduguri and a second treatment facility is being developed. Humanitarian actors are installing hand-washing stations and ensuring supply of clean water in IDP camps and vulnerable communities, as well as distributing soap and chlorinated solution where water is not readily available.

Nearly 8 million people are in need of urgent humanitarian aid in the conflict-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, with many depending on assistance to survive. Functional health facilities, especially in remote locations in Borno State, are scarce and over 3 million people urgently need food assistance. With the COVID-19 pandemic affecting many areas in Nigeria, it is essential for the most vulnerable to continue receiving humanitarian aid, including water and soap or substitute solutions.

Out of respect and consideration for the family and the IDPs, the humanitarian community in Nigeria is asking the general public, including the media, to refrain from sharing any COVID-19 related information that is not confirmed by the NCDC, the Ministry of Health or WHO. The spread of misinformation may put the vulnerable people and aid workers at risk.

Mr Edward Kallon, is the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria

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Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, announced Mr Kyari’s death on Twitter.

The President’s spokespersons, Mr Garba Shehu, also tweeted about the development, disclosing that  Kyari died on Friday.

It would be recalled that Mr Kyari had earlier tested positive for COVID-19 on March 24, about 10 days after he returned from a trip to Germany during which he met with officials of Siemens in Munich on Nigeria’s electricity expansion programme.

Kyari later confirmed the news in a statement on March 29, the same day President Buhari made his first nationwide broadcast on the pandemic and announced a two-week lockdown in Lagos, Ogun and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Kyari disclosed that he would be transferred to Lagos from the FCT for treatment and expressed the hope that he would recover and return to work soon.

At the time, Mr Kyari said he felt well and did not exhibit any signs of the disease, which has now infected 493 people in the country and claimed 17 lives, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.

A Kanuri from Borno, Mr Kyari was one of President’s Buhari’s closest allies.

He was appointed Chief of Staff in August 2015, and considered to be one of the most influential and powerful members of the Buhari administration.

Prior to his foray into politics, Kyari had a professional career as a lawyer and spent years in the banking industry, rising to become the Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) at some point

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Amidst a deteriorating security situation, they reiterated their commitment to work better together and strengthen efforts to provide life-saving assistance to those affected by more than ten years of crisis in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states, in north-east Nigeria, and to increase support to people rebuilding their lives and communities.

On his first official trip outside Europe, Janez Lenarčič, European Commissioner for Crisis Management, joined by the Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr Edward Kallon, met with President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hon. Sadiya Umar Farouq, and Borno State Governor, Prof Babagana Zulum, as well as various partners from local CSOs, international NGOs and UN agencies implementing the humanitarian response in north-east Nigeria.

During this two-day visit, Commissioner Lenarčič and Mr Kallon, also met with people displaced and affected by the violence in the Borno State town of Gwoza and visited EU-funded relief projects.

Announcing that the European Union will allocate an additional €26.5 million in humanitarian aid,Commissioner Lenarčič declared: “I saw first-hand today the suffering that conflict has brought to people’s lives and how crucial humanitarian aid is to people’s survival. What matters most is that humanitarian organisations can reach all the people in need, without restrictions, including in areas under the influence of non-state armed groups. It is vital that all States and parties to armed conflicts respect their obligation to allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief.

It is also key to implement in parallel a comprehensive strategy in the region, exploring political tracks while addressing the root causes of conflict.” Recent weeks have been marked by an upsurge in violent attacks from non-state armed groups and an increasing trend of illegal checkpoints on major supply and commercial routes directly targeting civilians, authorities and aid workers, especially in Borno State.

Twelve aid workers were deliberately and brutally murdered by non-state armed groups in 2019, twice the number in 2018. Two aid workers, Grace Taku and Alice Loksha, are still being held hostage by non-state armed groups and the humanitarian community call for their immediate and safe release.

“This highly symbolic visit comes at a critical time and brings together the United Nations, international and Nigerian NGOs, local and national CSOs and the European Union, as one of the most important donors,” highlighted Mr Kallon. “We are extremely worried that civilians and those who are providing them with assistance are the direct target of violent attacks, hindering our ability to save lives and help people rebuild livelihoods and communities.”

“All actors and stakeholders must strengthen their efforts to provide life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable people affected by the crisis, and do their utmost to guarantee the protection of civilians and aid workers, and safe, unconditional access to the people in need,” added the Humanitarian Coordinator.

The humanitarian crisis in Nigeria remains one of the largest crises across the globe. In a complex and volatile security environment, the United Nations and NGO partners, in collaboration with local and national authorities in Nigeria, have delivered urgent support and basic services to over 5.6 million people in the crisis-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, in Nigeria’s north-east.
In 2020, the humanitarian community estimates that 7.7 million people will need emergency assistance.

Over 1.8 million people, across the three crisis-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe are still living in camps or are hosted in other communities, that are themselves becoming extremely vulnerable.

1.2 million people in need remain cut off from humanitarian aid in hard-to-reach areas.

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“The intended effect of this is to intimidate the humanitarian actors working in north-east Nigeria. We have seen this as humanitarian workers are increasingly targeted,” said IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission Franz Celestin.

The targeted facility is one of nine humanitarian hubs in Borno managed by IOM. Humanitarian hubs provide operating environments for aid workers in deep field locations, including accommodation, office and connectivity services. These spaces are critical for a sustained and effective humanitarian response in Nigeria.

“These (humanitarian) hubs are the ultimate enablers to allow the humanitarian workers to improve the quality of the response by allowing them enough time on the ground to do what they’re supposed to do. Prior to the hubs, humanitarian workers could only go on day trips, so they’d go one day at a time to deliver services,” Celestin said.

The attack comes just 11 days after members of a non-state armed group (NSAG) infiltrated Monguno town. Two children, an adult male and one adult female were killed in the attack on a camp for internally displaced people. In addition, several injured people are currently receiving medical attention at a nearby clinic run by ALIMA, an international non-governmental organization.

That deadly attack left 2,728 people homeless. According to an IOM Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report, more than 300 shelters and properties belonging to the affected individuals were destroyed.

The ongoing conflict in north-east Nigeria continues to claim the lives of innocent people, and increasingly, of humanitarian workers. In 2019, twelve aid workers lost their lives, twice the number of deaths in the previous year.

DTM provides detailed and up-to-date information on characteristics and needs of crisis-affected populations registration and profiling of displaced populations in camp and camp-like settings, flow monitoring exercises and reports, as well as the provision of detailed infrastructural information on areas of return through village assessment surveys.

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