Since August 2021, the Nigerian Defence Headquarters have recorded that more than 53,262 individuals, who are either ex-associates of Violent Extremist Organisations (VEOs), families of ex-associates, or civilians resident in areas of VEO control, have handed themselves in to civil and military authorities in North East Nigeria and Far North Cameroon. The majority of these surrendered either to civilian authorities or to Nigerian and Cameroonian Security Forces, rather than the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). The Nigerian authorities have informed us that 2701 individuals have been assessed as potential active combatants. Those that have handed themselves over to the Nigerian authorities are being held in three camps in Borno State; Hajj Camp, Bulumkutu and Shokari Transitional Centres. We regularly engage the Borno State Government on the provision of security and services to these camps. Those that surrendered in Cameroon have either been transferred to Nigeria (Nigerian Nationals) or are being held at a centre in Meri (Cameroonian Nationals). We have also engaged the Cameroonian security services on detention conditions.

The UK Government is deeply concerned by the conflict in North East Nigeria and the wider Lake Chad Basin, which continues to drive instability, acute food insecurity and malnutrition in the region. We support governments and organisations across the region to address these issues. The UK Government is a leading humanitarian donor and supports the United Nations and non-governmental organisations to provide assistance to people with humanitarian needs. We continue to raise concerns over the humanitarian situation in multilateral fora, most recently by me on 11 March in a food security event at the United Nations.

Conflict also remains the primary driver of displacement and irregular migration across the region, compounded by the effects of climate change, disease outbreaks and the impact of coronavirus. To address these combined challenges, the UK Government provides development and stabilisation assistance to improve civilians' access to healthcare and improve livelihoods. We will also continue to work with countries of the Lake Chad Basin to address climate change. These countries are invited to attend COP26 later this year.

The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right: the issue of climate is now driving conflict. In the Lake Chad basin there simply is not enough ground for

people to feed their oxen or plant crops. We need to invest in climate-resilience projects, which means looking not only at the crops but at the reasons why there are now conflicts, from the Chad Basin and Nigeria right the way across east Africa, between people with oxen and people who are planting. In particular, Sahel is central to DFID’s new initiative. We are opening embassies in Mauritania, Niger and Chad, and much more of our investment is now going to go into the Sahel region.

July is set to be the hottest month ever recorded on Earth. Areas such as the Lake Chad basin, where more than 4.5 million people are already displaced, are the most vulnerable to these temperatures. The Secretary of State’s ambition to double spending in the long term is admirable, but what more does he think could be done now to support those countries that are in the frontline of the climate emergency?

The crisis in the Lake Chad Basin that affects Nigeria, Northern Cameroon, Niger and Chad is a priority for my Department. In 2017, we are providing £100 million in humanitarian assistance to northern Nigeria and over £14 million to other regions bordering Lake Chad, which will for example provide food assistance to more than 1.5 million people and reach 120,000 children with life-saving treatment for severe acute malnutrition. The UK is also providing over £8 million for stabilisation in the Lake Chad Basin region, including helping communities better respond to and manage the effects of violent conflict.

According to the United Nations, 10.8 million people in the Lake Chad Basin require humanitarian assistance, including 2.3 million that are displaced from their homes, and 7.2 million that suffer from severe food shortages. We are monitoring the situation closely, including through regular field visits by DFID staff based in the region.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I provided on 27 November to Question number 115054.

The UK is concerned about the ongoing political, ecological and economic destabilisation in the Lake Chad Basin caused by the ongoing conflict with Boko Haram. Although there is no direct threat to the UK, the current security situation remains fragile. This has resulted in an increased number of Internally Displaced Persons and refugees, further exacerbating the vulnerability of host communities already facing structural challenges such as food insecurity, under-nutrition and limited access to basic social services. Through our political, military and aid engagement, the UK is playing a leadership role in the region to help deal with these problems.

The crisis in the Lake Chad Basin that affects Nigeria, Northern Cameroon, Niger and Chad, is a priority for my Department. In 2017 the UK committed £100m in humanitarian assistance to Northern Nigeria and over £14m to other regions bordering Lake Chad. We have committed £300m to the humanitarian crisis in Northern Nigeria over the next 5 years and £39m to the wider Sahel crisis for 2018.

​The UK is working closely with the Nigerian Government and its neighbours to tackle Boko Haram and promote peace and stability in the Lake Chad Basin. We are providing a substantial package of military, intelligence and development support. This includes training for the Nigerian armed forces, supporting Nigerian intelligence analysis; and £5 million to support the Multinational Joint Task Force, the regional military force tackling Boko Haram. We have also increased counter-terrorism cooperation, providing training on response to terrorist attacks and bomb scene management.

The UK has led the international response to the humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region caused by the conflict with Boko Haram. In 2016, our support reached more than one million people inlcuding children, women and the disabled. We provided them with food, water, shelter and health care. During their visit to Nigeria in August 2017 the Foreign Secretay and International Development Secretary announced an additional £200 million of humanitarian aid over the next four years.

The UK is one of the largest donors to the crisis in the Lake Chad region, and has led the humanitarian response. Last year UKAid reached more than 1 million people. DFID’s response provides substantial financing through international non-governmental organisations and local civil society organisations. Most of this is indirect, through multilateral partners like UNICEF. DFID also provides direct financing e.g. £41m to International Committee of the Red Cross for the Emergency Appeal for the Lake Chad region.

DFID’s work in Nigeria has a major focus on combatting corruption. This includes programmes promoting greater transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and work to reduce corruption in local service delivery. A new anti-corruption programme will also support the Nigerian authorities to investigate and prosecute corrupt public officials and work with civil society to raise awareness on corruption. As we step up our work in other countries in the Sahel region, efforts to combat corruption will continue across the region.

The UK was one of the first donors to respond to the crisis in the Lake Chad Region. Last year we delivered food assistance to more than 1 million people, and treated 34,000 children at risk of death from severe under-nourishment in North East Nigeria. We have used our funding to encourage others to contribute and are pleased that at the Oslo Donor Conference a number of other countries stepped up their support. The UK is currently examining what further support we can provide in leading the way to help prevent famine in the region.

Lack of investment and ongoing conflict caused by Boko Haram has contributed to the current humanitarian crisis in the Lake Chad region. Focusing on the North East of Nigeria, DFID is investing in public services, job creation and addressing inequalities. UK support has enabled over 90,000 displaced children to return to school and restored basic health care services for 225,000 people affected by the conflict. As HMG, we are also providing a substantial and increasing package of intelligence, military and development support to the region to tackle Boko Haram.

The UK is the second largest donor to the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad, and has led the humanitarian response, particularly in North East Nigeria. Last year UKAid reached more than 600,000 people, including more than 30,000 severely malnourished children.

The UK will be represented at the Oslo Conference. No decisions have yet been made on a funding pledge.

The UK is the second largest donor to the humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad, and has led the humanitarian response, particularly in North East Nigeria. Last year UKAid reached more than 600,000 people, including more than 30,000 severely malnourished children. We are currently considering who will represent the UK at the Oslo Conference.

We are deeply concerned about the scale of the humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad Basin. This will require a sustained, multi-year response to support communities devastated by the conflict. The UK is scaling up our support.

In addition to the £90 million of humanitarian assistance we are already delivering in the region, the UK has now pledged a further £80 million of humanitarian funding. £50 million will go towards meeting the needs of the worst affected communities in Nigeria with food assistance and access to essential household items and services, and £30 million to support those who have been affected by the spread of Boko Haram into Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

HMG is using a range of opportunities to push our partners and governments across the region on scaling up and improving the quality of the response. This includes calling for a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation which took place in July 2016; a joint demarche to the UN with the French and USA on the need to improve humanitarian capacity and performance in mid-August; chairing a Lake Chad Basin meeting in the margins of UN General assembly in September 2016, and ongoing high level bilateral meetings with UN officials.

We are deeply concerned about the scale of the humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad Basin. This will require a sustained, multi-year response to support communities devastated by the conflict. The UK is scaling up our support.

In addition to the £90 million of humanitarian assistance we are already delivering in the region, the UK has now pledged a further £80 million of humanitarian funding. £50 million will go towards meeting the needs of the worst affected communities in Nigeria with food assistance and access to essential household items and services, and £30 million to support those who have been affected by the spread of Boko Haram into Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

HMG is using a range of opportunities to push our partners and governments across the region on scaling up and improving the quality of the response. This includes calling for a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation which took place in July 2016; a joint demarche to the UN with the French and USA on the need to improve humanitarian capacity and performance in mid-August; chairing a Lake Chad Basin meeting in the margins of UN General assembly in September 2016, and ongoing high level bilateral meetings with UN officials.

We are deeply concerned about the scale of the humanitarian crisis across the Lake Chad Basin. This will require a sustained, multi-year response to support communities devastated by the conflict. The UK is scaling up our support.

In addition to the £90 million of humanitarian assistance we are already delivering in the region, the UK has now pledged a further £80 million of humanitarian funding. £50 million will go towards meeting the needs of the worst affected communities in Nigeria with food assistance and access to essential household items and services, and £30 million to support those who have been affected by the spread of Boko Haram into Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

HMG is using a range of opportunities to push our partners and governments across the region on scaling up and improving the quality of the response. This includes calling for a Security Council briefing on the humanitarian situation which took place in July 2016; a joint demarche to the UN with the French and USA on the need to improve humanitarian capacity and performance in mid-August; chairing a Lake Chad Basin meeting in the margins of UN General assembly in September 2016, and ongoing high level bilateral meetings with UN officials.