The United Kingdom (UK) Government has dedicated additional £8 million to provide food and nutrition assistance for Nigerians even as it has advised against returning Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their homes by force.
UK’s Special Envoy for Humanitarian Affairs, Mr Nick Dyer stated these when he visited Nigeria last week.
According to a statement on Wednesday by the Policy and Communications Manager at the British High Commission (BHC) Abuja, Elva Lynch-Bathgate, the Special Envoy was in Nigeria from 23 to 27 November 2020, to understand the escalating humanitarian needs and drivers of conflict in the North East and to underline the United Kingdom’s support to the humanitarian response.
During the visit, the Special Envoy met political leaders, humanitarians, the UN, and members of civil society.
He also visited Maiduguri, the Capital of Borno state where he spoke to women entrepreneurs supported by UK Aid and community leaders in Internally Displaced People (IDP) camps in Borno State.
The Special Envoy heard first-hand accounts of the impact of the conflict and learned of the critical need for people, particularly women, to be involved in dialogue about their futures.
Mr Dyer highlighted that the additional £8 million of support cames on top of existing UK development funding of over £258 million.
He advantage of the visit to reaffirm the UK’s ongoing commitment as a force for good in Nigeria and the UK government’s focus on addressing food insecurity across the world.
Dyer visited Bakassi Camp and Teachers Village Camp to see how relief efforts are helping support people displaced by conflict in North East Nigeria.
Another engagement of Mr Dyer was meeting with UN and INGO representatives to discuss deteriorating food insecurity, the need for improved humanitarian access, and strengthened civil-military coordination.
He equally met the Borno State Governor, whilst in Maiduguri, and the Yobe State Governor, in Abuja, with whom he discussed state level action and leadership on the humanitarian situation across the North East.
They discussed plans for development of Yobe and Borno states and UK support to these plans in partnership with the government. While commending Governor Zulum’s recently announced 25-year Borno State Development Plan, Dyer however emphasised that any returns by IDPs to their homes must be voluntary, based on informed choice, and made in safety, with dignity.
While in Abuja, Mr Dyer met separately with the Vice President and the President’s Chief of Staff to discuss government initiatives to resolve the protracted crisis and ensure peace and future prosperity across the country.
He encouraged the Government to work with national and international partners, address humanitarian needs, and ensure the protection of civilians, while urging political leaders to ensure humanitarian access in North East Nigeria.