Far North: reports reveal over 82 persons kidnapped in a month
The latest report from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, reveals that during the month of February, more than 82 civilians were kidnapped by unidentified armed groups in the Logone and Chari divisions of the Far North region.
According to the UN, these people were kidnapped for ransom and this demand highlights the economic motivations and financing needs that would largely underline this phenomenon.
“If several people were released often after the ransom payment, several others would still be in captivity. Young boys and girls were also missing. Sound sources suspect forced recruitment,“ they stated.
They highlighted that activities of non-state armed groups marked by violence and abduction of people continue to create panic in the Mayo Sava, Mayo Tsanaga, and Lagone and Chari divisions of the Far North region as a result of clashes between the non-state armed group fighters and defense and security forces. This has continued to negatively affect the daily lives of the population.
The report noted that at least 83 incidents related to the activities of non-state armed groups and confrontations with defense and security forces have been reported in February within the localities near the Mandara Mountains (Mayo-Sava and Mayo-Tsanaga), as well as those in and around Lake Chad been the most affected.
This marked a sharp increase as compared to 53 incidents accumulated between December 2022 and January 2023.
It also stated that at least least 23 civilians were killed and 24 injured during these incidents, with people’s properties looted and destroyed.
Due to this insecurity, over 1,652 persons have been displaced. “This brings to more than 6,000, the number of internally displaced persons registered in the region since January 2023,” says OCHA.
Globally, the UN noted that 1.6 million people are in need of aid, 385,000 are internally displaced, 47,000 people are refugees in rural areas, 76,000 people are in camps, 138,000 have returned to their villages while 962,000 are targeted in the Far North region.
