Cameroon - Since the beginning of 2014, Northeast Nigeria has witnessed an increase in Boko Haram’s violent attacks, leading to widespread displacement in the country with a spillover effect in neighboring countries including Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

In the Far North Region of Cameroon, an estimated 81,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 36,000 returnees have fled Boko Haram attacks.

IDPs, returnees and host families are currently living in precarious conditions and are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance to meet their basic needs, and the situation could further worsen with the beginning of the rainy season.

IOM Cameroon has scaled up its response to address the needs of displaced populations and returnees, focusing on emergency non-food item interventions in the Department of Mayo-Tsanaga.

From 19th June to 26th June, with funding from the Government of Italy, IOM distributed 1,000 emergency non-food item (NFI) kits to the most vulnerable IDP, returnee and host community families. These items were distributed in Makatam Sud (Mokolo Arrondissement) and Mozogo (Mayo-Moskota Arrondissement), in the Department of Mayo-Tsanaga. In the coming weeks, IOM will distribute another 250 emergency NFI kits.

Thanks to a contribution from the Government of the United States (USAID/OFDA), 250 additional emergency NFI kits were distributed on 19th June 2015 in Makatam Sud (Mokolo Arrondissement).

“Boko Haram attacks in Cameroon displaced populations who were already vulnerable to communities with scarce resources. Many of these people have witnessed terrible events that left them traumatized. Although there is a great solidarity and generosity in the Far North Region of Cameroon, this vulnerable population needs urgent humanitarian assistance before shared resources run out and their situation worsen further,” said IOM Emergency Coordinator Ahmed Abdi.

For further information, please contact Ahmed Abdi, IOM Cameroon, Tel: +237 680 180 594, Email: ahabdi@iom.int