650,000 persons internally displaced in North East Nigeria – UNHCR

Angele Dikongue-Atangana, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Representative in Nigeria, on Monday said there were currently about 650,000 internally displaced persons in North East Nigeria.
Dikongue-Atangana told the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos that an intelligence assessment carried out in May had blamed their displacement on the recent crises in the North East.
She said: “According to an intelligence assessment of North Eastern Nigeria, at least 650,000 persons are displaced within the boundary of Nigeria.
“And what is of most concern to the UNHCR in Nigeria today are these internally displaced persons.”
The UNHCR chief said that her organisation was working hard at establishing a regional office in Gombe State that would take care of many of the internally displaced persons.
Dikongue-Atangana said the international community and the UN systems in Nigeria were working jointly in providing protection and care for the affected persons.
The representative also disclosed plans by UNHCR to ensure efficient coordination and management of camps for those affected.
She said: “UNHCR will always support respective states in taking care of internally displaced persons.
“This is one reason we want to establish an office in Gombe so as to be able cater for the needs of many displaced persons in this part of Nigeria.”