- A new UN OCHA report reveals that at least 1,932 lives were lost across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states in 114 separate attacks between April and June 2026.
- Joint operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and US forces helped reduce explosive-related casualties by 66.9% compared to the same period in 2025.
- Rising attacks on aid personnel, rigid transport restrictions, and controversial IDP camp closures continue to severely limit humanitarian relief efforts.
At least 1,932 people were killed across Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states between April and June 2026, according to the Q2 2026 Humanitarian Access Snapshot released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Eko Hot Blog reports the comprehensive report highlights escalating insecurity, direct attacks on aid workers, bureaucratic delays, and severe weather as major barriers to relief operations in the North-East.
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Despite the high death toll from insurgency attacks, the report noted a significant 66.9% reduction in civilian casualties linked to improvised explosive devices (IEDs) compared to Q2 2025.
This decline was largely attributed to high-tempo joint military operations conducted by Nigerian armed forces alongside United States troops in northern and central Borno State, which restricted insurgent mobility.
However, non-state armed groups retaliated with targeted raids on several local government areas, forcing health and aid organizations to temporarily suspend or scale down critical operations in areas like Dapchi, Madagali, and Chibok.
Humanitarian partners also faced increased physical threats, including ambushes on supply trucks near Gubio and Mobbar, as well as the abduction of NGO staff in Monguno.
The UN agency further raised grave concerns regarding the continued state policy of closing internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and relocating residents to vulnerable communities facing renewed attacks.
Coupled with reports of excessive force by Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) members and vigilante groups within host communities, OCHA warned that urgent measures are required to prevent wider destabilization across the region.
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