THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES (UNHCR) AND CHALLENGES OF EFFECTIVE HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE IN NORTHEAST NIGERIA

Abstract

In recent times, the globe has witnessed unimaginable humanitarian crisis. People have been forced to flee their homes in the most unusual circumstances, massive displacements and food insecurity have taken centre stage and all these have affected humanity adversely. The African continent is not left out in all of this as it has also been plagued by several humanitarian crisis-- from the horn of Africa, down to Sub-Saharan Africa. In all, Northeast Nigeria has been devastated by the activities of Boko Haram insurgents since 2009, leading to a seemingly intractable humanitarian catastrophe in the region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees stepped in 2014 to render humanitarian assistance and services to communities in this troubled zone. The study employed the Complex Humanitarian Emergencies (CHEs) theory as an analytical framework. Methodologically, the descriptive research design was used and data was gotten through primary and secondary sources. The primary sources of data were sourced using Key Informant Interviews, where structured questions were purposively administered to key officials of the UNHCR and International Committee of the Red Cross. Secondary data were gotten from documentary sources as journal articles, books, internet blogs, etc., and analysed using content analysis. The study uncovered the fact that UNHCR’s humanitarian response in Nigeria’s north-east has not yielded the desired results as the agency is currently bedeviled with so much challenges, ranging from insecurity of UNHCR staff, lack of access by the agency to remote areas, to funding shortfall and a host of others. It recommends, among others, the need for inter-agency collaboration, adequate protection of the agency’s staff and proper funding of the agency’s activities in the area.