The European Union (EU) has allocated €500,000 in humanitarian aid to address the needs of displaced populations in Benue State.
The EU made the announcement on Thursday through a statement by Mrs. Ugo Sokari-George, Public Affairs Officer of the Politics, Press and Information Section at the EU Embassy in Abuja.
According to the statement, the funding delivered in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) will provide critical support over a six-month period.
She said that it would implement activities in sectors such as protection, shelter, water, sanitation, and hygiene, as well as multi-purpose financial aid.
Violence drives mass displacement
The public affairs Officer noted that the escalating armed violence in Benue State, Nigeria, had displaced thousands of people, exacerbating an already critical humanitarian crisis.
“In June 2025, a wave of attacks forced almost 23,000 people to flee, many of whom had already been displaced in the past, triggering a cycle of heightened vulnerability. Conditions inside the camps are dire.
“There is a severe lack of shelter for families, and inadequate access to Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).
“Access to livelihoods remains precarious, while protection risks have increased considerably, particularly for women, children, and people with disabilities, making the humanitarian response even more complex,” it stated.
The EU noted that the latest wave of violence was part of a protracted humanitarian crisis that had been shaking Benue state since 2018, adding that more than 1.5 million people had been displaced from their homes since 2018.
“The escalation of violence in 2024 and 2025 has already claimed some 6,900 lives and displaced more than 400,000 people, stressing the urgency of the situation,” it added.
EU reaffirms global humanitarian leadership
The EU emphasized its role as a global leader in humanitarian assistance, alongside its member states.
“Emergency aid is an expression of European solidarity with people in need around the globe. Its purpose is to save lives, prevent and alleviate human suffering, and preserve the integrity and human dignity of populations affected by natural disasters or man-made crises,” it stated.
It said that through the European Commission’s civil protection and humanitarian aid operations, the EU helped millions of victims of conflict and disaster every year.
Through its headquarters in Brussels and its worldwide network of local offices, the EU provides assistance to the most vulnerable people on the sole basis of humanitarian needs
