After witnessing the death of fifteen relatives and neighbors, Gloria Ibrahim fled with her three small children to the city of Yola where an estimated 400,000 people have sought safety from a violent insurgency in Nigeria's northeast. The International Rescue Committee is leading the humanitarian response for tens of thousands of people.
Read Gloria's story.
Gloria Ibrahim: They surround the village and kill my husband and his younger brother in the same room and kill our relatives and neighbor. Almost fifteen people were killed at the same time. That's why we run. I come to Yola. I know nobody. Nothing to eat. No clothes. I lost everything.
Title: Gloria is among roughly 400,000 people who have fled a violent insurgency in Nigeria's northeast and sought safety in Yola. The already resource-poor city has nearly doubled in size.
Simon Clarke, emergency project director: People are being very welcoming and inviting people to stay with them in their homes. But if you imagine living at home—cut off the electricity, cut off the water supply, and invite an extra ten people to stay—that kind of gives you a reasonable idea of what it's like. Add the fact that these people have had to flee in fear from Boko Haram at very short notice. Most people have had to flee with nothing apart from the clothes on their back.
Title: A steady stream of people arrives daily, joining those who have been displaced for months or even years.
Sarah Ndikumana, country director: Most of the people that fled are farmers who come from rural areas. There's no land available, there's no possibility of farming or steady income. So the populations who have fled have used up any resources that they came with.
Emmanuel Wakai: I saw my people are really sleeping like this, outside. It pains me because it is not pleasant.
Title: The IRC is responding to this humanitarian emergency with: health and hygiene services such as installing latrines and clean water sources, education and support for children, gender-based violence programming and services, food security programs such as distributing vouchers redeemable for cooking supplies, distributions of essential items such as pots, water buckets and soap, and assistance with shelter.
Gloria Ibrahim: IRC have been doing a lot in my life. They are the one now who are helping me here. They are my brothers and my fathers and it's through IRC I sustain my life in this Yola.
Emmanuel Wakai: My future now, really, I cannot even predict because I do not know whether I can go back or I can not go back. If things are settled, we will go back; if things are settled.
Title: Recent elections in Nigeria resulted in a peaceful handover of power. However, insecurity and conflict persist in the northeast.
