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The association leads in average 140 projects by year in the following sectors of intervention: food security, health, nutrition, construction and rehabilitation of infrastructures, water, sanitation, hygiene and economic recovery. PUI is providing assistance to around 4 million people in 22 countries – in Africa, Asia, Middle East, Caucasus and Europe.

Humanitarian situation and needsWith the biggest population in Africa, (between 178.000.000 and 200.000.000 habitants), Nigeria is ranked as the first economy in Africa thanks to oil and petroleum products as well as mineral resources (gold, iron, diamonds, copper etc…). Despite a strong economy, Nigeria suffers from huge inequalities between rich and poors, and from a high rate of corruption, at every level.

In 2015, presidential elections were held and led to the election of Muhammad Buhari (former military) to replace Goodluck Jonathan. During the first months of his election, he has shown particular efforts to get progressively rid of corruption, and has officially announced that he would stop Boko Haram from harming people.

Boko Haram (meaning Western education is forbidden/ is a sin) and recently renamed Islamic State in Western Africa after it pledged allegiance to the group Islamic State, is a Sunni terrorist and jihadist group seeking to create a Kalifate in western Africa ruled by the sharia law.

Created in 2002 by Mohamed Yusuf in Maiduguri (State of Borno), the group has been carrying out armed attacks on civilian populations since 2011. However, the group was already at war with the national security forces in Nigeria, since 2004 with a high peak of the crisis in 2009.

From 2013, Boko Haram exported its action abroad, in Cameroon, Chad and Niger and was linked to a number of attacks kidnapping, particularly in Northern Cameroon. The intensification of conflict in north east states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe has inevitably resulted in the displacement of people across the troubled states.

A regional force made up of troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon launched a military offensive against Boko Haram in early 2015 and resulted in significant territorial losses for the insurgent group. By April 2015, Boko Haram had lost all its held territories except its stronghold in the Sambisa forest in Borno state (Reuters, 05/05/2015). The territorial gains by regional forces have prompted Boko Haram to revert to guerrilla tactics including village raids, abductions, bombings, and suicide attacks, increasingly targeting civilians – also in areas not previously targeted.

At the end of the year 2015, Boko Haram has been responsible for the deaths of 11,000 people, becoming the world’s deadliest terrorist group before the Group Islamic State.

OCHA estimates that about 14,8 million people are affected by the Boko Haram Crisis in the North Eastern States of Nigeria. Violence and armed conflict have worsen the situation of a civilians already living in precarious conditions and undermined the development efforts to reduce poverty, strained the States resources and exhausted the community coping capacities. This 6-years Crisis also put at risk inter-community, inter-ethnic and inter-religious coexistence.

As of today, 2,3 million IDPS have been registered in Nigeria, and with no access to most areas of Borno State it is estimated that IDPs should in fact be around 3 million. If some of the IDPs have sought refuge outside the North East, Adamawa, Borno, Gombe and Yobe States have been the most affected by the crisis. From the affected population, it estimated that 7 million people (with no consideration of status) are in need of urgent humanitarian assistance.As of today, 70% of the registered IDPs (about 1.7 million) are settled in Maiduguri city which already counts 2.5 million people. 90% of the IDPs are located in host communities.

These alarming figures and the still ongoing displacements conducted Premiere Urgence Internationale to launch an exploratory mission in December 2015 to get a better overview of the situation, a better acquaintance with the context and to meet with the partners. After this visit, a multi-sectorial needs assessment was conducted in the city of Maiduguri.

Our action in the fieldThe results of the assessment led PUI to position in host communities hosting IDPS of Maiduguri city.

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