By Joy Odor
In a renewed show of solidarity, the European Union (EU) has announced an additional €250,000 (over ₦450 million) in humanitarian aid to support thousands of people displaced by ongoing violence in Benue and Plateau States.
The funding, released in response to recent attacks by armed groups that have caused mass displacement, will enable the Nigerian Red Cross Society to provide urgent, life-saving assistance to approximately 2,500 vulnerable households impacting around 15,000 individuals.
According to a statement issued in Abuja, the support package includes emergency cash assistance, essential household supplies, healthcare, psychosocial support, and improved access to clean water and sanitation.
The initiative also incorporates protection services and public awareness campaigns on health, hygiene, and safety, with a focus on preserving the dignity of the most vulnerable, particularly women and children.
The humanitarian situation in both states remains critical. As of July 2025, over 615,000 people have been displaced in Benue State alone, with another 65,000 displaced in Plateau State.
Most are subsistence farmers now cut off from their land and livelihoods during a crucial planting season. Many are currently sheltering in overcrowded camps and informal settlements with little access to basic needs.
This funding forms part of the EU’s broader contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) operated by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The DREF is designed to enable swift humanitarian response to smaller-scale disasters and emergencies that do not trigger formal international appeals.
In July 2025, the EU also provided €500,000 (₦886 million) to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to support displaced communities in Benue State for a six-month period.
The EU warned that the recurrent, targeted violence in the region is fueling a protracted protection crisis, with escalating humanitarian needs and new security threats emerging weekly.
The European Union remains the world’s largest humanitarian donor, providing life-saving support to victims of conflict and disaster worldwide.
Through its Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the EU continues to reach the most vulnerable populations, guided strictly by humanitarian principles.
