The European Union (EU) has announced an additional €250,000 (approximately ₦450 million) in humanitarian aid to assist thousands of people displaced by recent waves of violent attacks in Benue and Plateau States.
The funding, released through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), will support the Nigerian Red Cross Society in delivering life-saving relief to 2,500 households—an estimated 15,000 people.
“This new assistance aims to deliver urgent help to communities struggling with displacement, violence, and acute shortages,” said Anouk Delafortrie, spokesperson for the EU’s Humanitarian Aid Office in West Africa.
The humanitarian response will include emergency cash transfers, distribution of essential household items, healthcare, psychosocial support, and improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services.
The EU says the aid package will also fund protection programs and awareness campaigns focused on hygiene and personal safety.
The scale of displacement is staggering.
As of July 2025, more than 615,000 people have been displaced in Benue State and 65,000 in Plateau State, most of whom are subsistence farmers who lost access to farmland during the crucial planting season.
Many now live in overcrowded camps or informal shelters, facing severe shortages of food, clean water, and basic health services.
“The recurring violence in Benue and Plateau has created a deepening protection crisis. These are families who’ve endured repeated displacement and trauma,” the EU said in a statement.
This contribution follows the EU’s earlier €500,000 aid package in July 2025 to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for emergency response efforts in Benue State.
Together, both grants reflect Europe’s broader humanitarian commitment to Nigeria.
The European Commission is also funding an €8 million humanitarian delegation agreement with IFRC, allowing the EU to replenish the DREF for smaller-scale disasters that do not require formal international appeals.
“Our commitment remains firm—every human life matters.
“The EU continues to stand with Nigeria in addressing humanitarian needs and restoring dignity to the most vulnerable,” the statement added.
The EU and its Member States are collectively the world’s largest donors of humanitarian assistance.
Through ECHO, the EU’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department, millions affected by conflict and disaster receive aid each year.
Source – Radio Nigeria
(vitalnewsngr.com)
