Mercy Corps is Extremely Concerned about Ongoing Closures in Northeast Nigeria

Program activities have been suspended for one month, leaving hundreds of thousands of people at risk

ABUJA, Nigeria — Today marks one month since Mercy Corps’ offices in Yobe and Borno states were closed by the Nigerian military. Our team remains extremely concerned about the significant and dire humanitarian consequences resulting from these closures.

Yobe and Borno states are home to more than 2.6 million people and Mercy Corps, together with other humanitarian organizations, provide much needed assistance to communities affected by conflict.

The cessation of Mercy Corps program activities in these areas means that up to 150,000 displaced people and host community members remain without lifesaving food assistance, 39,000 people are without daily safe drinking water, and 25,000 people will not benefit from much needed shelter.

Over the past four weeks we have cooperated with the Nigerian military and other Government authorities, and we are hopeful that the situation will be resolved soon. We are committed to resuming our vital humanitarian work as quickly as possible and will restart our life-saving assistance as soon as we can reopen our offices.

After a month without support, the vulnerable communities in northeast Nigeria cannot afford to wait any longer.