By Janefrances Chibuzor
A high-level delegation of international partners has visited Borno State to hear directly from communities impacted by conflict and to assess ongoing efforts aimed at achieving sustainable solutions to displacement across the North-East. The visit, held on Tuesday, brought together representatives from the United Kingdom, Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The delegation met with the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, and the Military Commanding Officer in Banki Garrison. Their mission focused on strengthening collaboration with the state government and security agencies to ensure that the return and resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) are carried out under safe, dignified and well-supported conditions. Discussions highlighted the need for displaced persons, refugee returnees and host communities to make free and informed choices about where to rebuild their lives.
During the engagements, the delegation also interacted with displaced families and local residents to understand the realities faced by those affected by years of conflict. They listened to concerns over security, access to livelihoods, food shortages and gaps in essential services. The officials visited several project sites in Maiduguri, including the El Miskin IDP camp and Musari community, where women and families are benefiting from ongoing livelihood, protection and education interventions supported by international partners. Beneficiaries shared their experiences of displacement and the positive impact of programmes designed to improve resilience and restore stability.
A major point of the visit was the field mission to Banki, a garrison town in Bama Local Government Area that has endured significant hardship due to the insurgency. The delegation observed multiple recovery and resilience projects supported by members of the team. These included community rehabilitation efforts aimed at improving living conditions, strengthening local governance and laying the groundwork for safe returns. Military officials also briefed the visitors on stabilisation operations, cross-border dynamics and ongoing efforts to enhance security in the town, which hosts large numbers of displaced people and returnees.
Speaking during the visit, the Head of Development Cooperation at the British High Commission in Abuja, Ms Cynthia Rowe, reaffirmed the United Kingdom’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s stability and the recovery of conflict-affected communities. She said the UK remains dedicated to working with partners to foster peace, dignity and opportunity for displaced families. According to her, the projects in Borno demonstrate the value of sustained international cooperation aimed at strengthening resilience and offering hope to communities devastated by conflict.
Other members of the delegation also pledged continued support for peacebuilding, humanitarian action and development initiatives across the North-East. They stressed the importance of maintaining close collaboration with the Nigerian Government to address urgent humanitarian needs while investing in long-term solutions that reduce vulnerabilities and build stronger, more resilient communities.
The visit comes at a time when Nigeria faces a deepening humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 34 million people at risk of acute food insecurity nationwide. In the North-East alone, nearly six million people are already experiencing crisis levels of hunger. Malnutrition has reached alarming levels, with more than 1,000 children under five at risk of dying every day over the next three months without urgent intervention. Continuing insecurity, climate shocks and economic pressures are driving further displacement, while reduced funding for humanitarian operations has forced many agencies to scale back services.
The United Kingdom, through its £45 million humanitarian programme this year, is supporting partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP), UNICEF and local organisations to provide food assistance, treat malnutrition, protect civilians and keep vital supply routes open for hard-to-reach communities. Officials noted that although significant support is being provided, the scale of needs requires coordinated and sustained action from both national authorities and international partners.
At the end of the mission, the delegation reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with the Government of Nigeria to address the needs of displaced and vulnerable populations through a combination of humanitarian relief, recovery efforts and long-term development planning. They emphasised that stabilising the North-East and enabling families to rebuild with dignity must remain a priority for both local and international stakeholders.
