UNICEF, Gombe Government Support Bauchi IDPs
By Auwal Umar, Gombe
Humanitarian assistance has intensified in Gombe State as the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the Gombe State Government provide relief and essential services to thousands of people displaced by bandit attacks in Bauchi State.
The displacement followed a wave of violence that occurred between late February and March 2026 in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State, forcing residents of communities including Mansur, Futuk and Gwana to abandon their homes and seek safety elsewhere.
Many of the affected families are now taking refuge at Kashere Primary School in the Akko local government area of Gombe State, where a temporary camp has been established to accommodate them.
Officials say the camp currently hosts more than 7,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), including women, children and elderly residents who fled the attacks with little or no personal belongings.
During a visit to the camp, UNICEF Chief of Field Office Dr Nuzhat Rafique commended the Gombe State Government for its swift response and coordination in addressing the humanitarian needs of the displaced population.
She noted that several government agencies, including the ministries responsible for health and education, have been working from the early days of the crisis to support the displaced families.
Dr Rafique also acknowledged the involvement of the Bauchi State Government, revealing that the governor of Bauchi had visited the camp to assess the situation and offer support to the victims from Alkaleri communities.
According to her, the camp’s daily operations are currently managed through a host community management structure working closely with relevant departments of the Gombe State Government.
She explained that UNICEF’s support focuses largely on healthcare services, immunisation, sanitation, and maternal health for women in the camp.
Dr Rafique said many children in the camp had never received any form of vaccination before their displacement, describing them as “zero-dose children”. She noted that emergency immunisation efforts have been launched to ensure that such children receive life-saving vaccines.
She added that healthcare services for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers are also being supported through a nearby medical facility made available by the Gombe State health authorities.
The UNICEF official raised concerns about the poor sanitation conditions in the camp, warning that the situation could expose residents to outbreaks of diseases such as cholera if preventive measures are not strengthened.
To address this challenge, UNICEF distributed about 600 hygiene and dignity kits as well as 56 cholera response kits to families in the camp to improve sanitation practices and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.
She further disclosed that UNICEF plans to establish safe learning spaces within the camp to help displaced children who have never attended school begin their education while they remain in the camp.
Also speaking during the visit, the Executive Secretary of the Gombe State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Abdurrahman Shaibu, said the state government had activated an incident management system to coordinate the response to the humanitarian situation.
According to him, the multi-sectoral arrangement includes representatives from the ministries of health, environment, water resources and special duties, alongside humanitarian partners working in the camp.
Shaibu explained that access to healthcare remains a priority, noting that a primary healthcare centre located close to the camp has been designated to provide free medical services for the displaced persons.
He added that outreach teams from the health facility visit the camp at least three times every week to conduct immunisation and monitor the health conditions of the residents.
“As of yesterday, about 300 children have received routine immunisation, while 33 children who had never received vaccines before have now been immunised,” he said.
Shaibu also disclosed that two nine-year-old girls had received the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine as part of ongoing preventive health services.
He further noted that some cases of child malnutrition had been identified among displaced children in the camp.
To address the challenge, he said the Gombe State Government recently released ₦500 million as counterpart funding to UNICEF to support the procurement of ready-to-use therapeutic food for malnourished children across the state.
While the supplies are yet to arrive, Shaibu explained that UNICEF has been requested to provide interim assistance to meet the immediate nutritional needs of affected children in the camp.
Authorities say the collaboration between humanitarian partners and state governments remains crucial in ensuring that displaced families receive essential support while efforts continue to restore security in the affected communities in Bauchi State.