The European Union has released €225,000 (around 340 million Nigerian Naira) in emergency humanitarian aid to assist thousands of people uprooted by rising violence in north-western Nigeria.
The funding will support the Nigerian Red Cross in delivering relief over the next six months to displaced communities across Kebbi State. Security in the region has sharply deteriorated in recent months due to escalating attacks by armed criminal gangs—locally known as bandits—and violent communal clashes spanning seven Local Government Areas. While instability has been growing since mid-August, a major surge in violence at the end of August served as the catalyst for the emergency intervention. Official estimates indicate that more than 16,600 people have been affected across the state, with over 7,700 forced from their homes and at least 108 injured. Many of the displaced are currently taking shelter in makeshift sites or staying with host communities, where access to basic necessities—including food, safe drinking water, healthcare, and adequate shelter—remains critically limited.
The emergency relief efforts will focus primarily on cash transfers, allowing families the flexibility to purchase essential food and supplies, alongside dedicated protection services. An estimated 7,700 people will be reached, with priority given to high-risk groups, including female-headed households, elderly residents, and individuals with disabilities.”The response prioritises the most vulnerable groups to deliver targeted support where it is needed most,” the EU said in a statement released from Abuja on Wednesday.
The emergency grant is drawn from the European Commission’s delegation agreement with the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), which channels resources through its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) to provide rapid financing during localized crises.
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