The European Union has released an additional €250,000 (over ₦450 million) to support thousands of displaced people in Benue and Plateau States following a surge in violent attacks by armed groups.
Channelled through the Nigerian Red Cross, the emergency funds will assist 2,500 vulnerable households — around 15,000 individuals — who have been displaced in the last four months. The aid package includes emergency cash support, household essentials, healthcare, psychosocial assistance, and access to clean water and sanitation.
In addition to immediate relief, the intervention will strengthen protection services and promote awareness on health, hygiene, and safety.
As of July 2025, Benue State alone hosts over 615,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), while Plateau State accounts for another 65,000. Most of the displaced are subsistence farmers who were uprooted during the critical planting season and now reside in overcrowded camps or informal shelters with limited access to basic needs.
This funding complements earlier EU support of €500,000 (approximately ₦886 million) provided in July to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to address urgent needs in Benue over a six-month period.
The EU described the situation as dire, warning that persistent violence continues to fuel a worsening protection crisis with new threats emerging weekly.
The European Union, through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid department, remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian donors, committed to preserving human dignity and alleviating suffering during conflicts and disasters.
