ABUJA, Nigeria (Chatnewstv.com) — The European Union has announced an additional €250,000 (over ₦450 million) in humanitarian aid to support people displaced by violent attacks in Nigeria’s Benue and Plateau states.
The new funding, according to a statement released on Thursday, will enable the Nigerian Red Cross Society to deliver immediate, life-saving assistance to 2,500 vulnerable households—about 15,000 people—who have been displaced over the last four months.
“This support will provide emergency cash assistance, essential household items, healthcare and psychosocial services, along with clean water and sanitation,” the EU said in a statement.
The bloc added that beyond direct relief, the initiative would “strengthen protection services and conduct health, hygiene and safety awareness campaigns.”
As of July 2025, more than 615,000 people were displaced in Benue State, with another 65,000 in Plateau. Most are subsistence farmers who fled their homes during the critical planting season. Many are now sheltering in overcrowded displacement camps or informal settlements, facing acute shortages of food, clean water, and medical services.
“The humanitarian situation is dire,” the EU said. “The recurring and targeted violence in Benue and Plateau states continues to fuel a protracted protection crisis, with new threats emerging weekly.”
The aid package is part of the EU’s contribution to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The fund provides rapid financial support to respond to “small-scale” emergencies that do not trigger a formal international appeal.
In July, the EU also provided €500,000 (around ₦886 million) to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) for humanitarian operations in Benue State.
The EU emphasized its commitment to global solidarity: “Relief assistance is an expression of European solidarity towards people in need around the world. It aims to save lives, prevent and alleviate suffering, and safeguard dignity.”
The European Commission has signed an €8 million delegation agreement with the IFRC to replenish the DREF for eligible emergency operations, with potential contributions totaling up to €12 million.
Since its establishment in 1979, the DREF has supported immediate response efforts by national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies worldwide.
Editor: Gabriel Ani
