URGENT HUMANITARIAN APPEAL FOR NIGERIAN REFUGEES IN LAC REGION OF CHAD FOR OVER 30.000 NIGERIAN REFUGEES ARE IN NEED OF URGENT FOOD AID, SHELTER, HEALTH CARE, EDUCATION, WATER AND SANITATION ASSISTANCES

The International Islamic Youth League, African Youth Development Centre, is very concerned about 75,000 Nigerian refugees including Chadian Returnees have arrived in western Chad since the attacks on the town of Baga on 3 and 7 January. Since July 21st 2015, the estimated number of internally displaced people (IDPs) stands at more than 40,795 people, a decrease of 15% compared with prior estimates. This difference is due to secondary movements related to humanitarian assistance or to erroneous estimates. These people are located in 17 spontaneous sites, host communities in Bol and along the Meli- Bol Constant further displacement of IDPs makes it difficult to compile accurate figures. Registration remains a challenge and a priority.

16,169 IDPs have received humanitarian assistance from the UN Aid Agencies (40%) in the refugees and the IDPs sites of Yakoua, Kaya, Koudouboul, Kollom, Kafia, Kousseri, Tagal, Dar al Nahim, Koulkime and Bibi, and in Bol. The most immediate needs are in shelter (20,000 IPDs in 12 sites), food security (30,000 IDPs without assistance), Water, Sanitation, and hygiene (90% of IDPs do not have access to latrines and more than 50% of IDPs didn’t benefit from hygiene activities), and health.

The humanitarian response capacity in the Lac region remains a great concern, especially due to the low levels of funding for the different sectors. An emergency response plan has been adopted by the Humanitarian Country Team (HCT) on 16th September 2015. This plan identifies priority needs and activities, and quantifies the targeted individuals and response capacities. Emergency response must be strengthened in the Lac region. More than 11.5 million USD are needed to fund the plan according to UN Agencies, including 1.2 million USD already mobilized by UN Agencies. The financial needs remain high in the food security sector, health and nutrition, shelter and WASH.

UN Agencies and International Non-Governmental Organizations including the governmental of Chad have registered over 75,000 refugees, Chadian returnees so far. Dozens of refugees continue to arrive on delay basis, many by canoe over Lake Chad to areas such as Ngouboua and Bagasola, some 450 kilometres north-west of the Chadian capital N’djamena. Including the latest influx some 40,000 Nigerian refugees have arrived in Chad since July 2013. We are concerned that refugees from Baga and the surrounding area are choosing to flee over the lake into Chad as this may indicate that the overland route into Niger is blocked by insurgents.

The International Islamic Youth League, African Youth Development Centre its partners Chad Country Office report that, they have identified 599 unaccompanied children, who have been separated from their families while fleeing the attacks in Baga. They have been placed in foster families while waiting to be reunited with their own, according our Country Director who has recently visited camps on 25th September 2015.

At the same time, the UN Agencies Government and our partner on ground have started relocation some 30,000 refugees who were stranded on the Lake Chad’s islands of Koulfoua and Kangalam, to the newly opened site of Dar Es Salam, near Bagasola. The site, which presently hosts some 22,600 refugees is located 70 kilometres from the border with Nigeria and will be able to accommodate up to 45,000 refugees. The attacks on Baga have also pushed some 572 people to flee to Niger’s Diffa region – with some of them having first crossed through Chad before reaching Niger.

Since the state of emergency, was declared in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in north-eastern Nigeria in May 2013, an estimated 153,000 people have fled to the neighboring countries. To date, UNHCR and its partners NGOs has registered over 37,000 Nigerian refugees in Cameroon; some 75,000 people have arrived in Chad, in western Chad, some 40,300 Nigerian refugees have arrived since July 2015, fleeing attacks by insurgents on Baga town and surrounding villages in northeast Nigeria. UN Agencies and NGOs in Chad are at the border and seeking more information on the new arrivals and their needs. The attack on Baga left hundreds of people dead according to media reports and forced most of its inhabitants to flee.

In Chad, refugees are staying with local communities in villages around 450 kilometers north-west of the capital, N'Djamena. The Chadian government has requested the assistance from aid agencies to help the refugees and distribution of relief items. International Islamic Youth League, African Youth Development Centre has approved emergency food package to support 2,200 must vulnerable needy refugees.

Our new Country Director in Chad visited some government authorities’ area 26st September 2015 the authorities are requesting from Aid Organizations to help 30,000 refugees who have not received food assistance due to heavy case load is handling by UN WFP.

The authorities also made request from our Country Director for provision of Water Wells support in some refugees and host communities, educational support is need to support some 10.500 schools going children’s, we will are requesting donors for urgent shelter, Food Aid for 30.000 refugees, and provision of 20 new Borehole Water Wells, to support the effort of the United Nations Aid Agencies in Chad USD 550 support fully families for the period of one Month, your kind contribution to support the need refugees are needed