At least 1,932 people were killed across Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states between April and June 2026, according to the latest Humanitarian Access Snapshot released by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The report, published on Tuesday, revealed that the deaths averaged more than 21 people per day during the 91-day period. It was compiled by the Humanitarian Access Working Group using data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) and the UN Mine Action Service.
OCHA identified insecurity, attacks on humanitarian workers and assets, bureaucratic restrictions, and harsh environmental conditions as the major obstacles limiting humanitarian operations across the North-East.
According to the report, 60 explosive ordnance incidents were recorded during the second quarter of 2026, representing a 10.5 percent decline from the 67 incidents reported during the same period in 2025.
Improvised Explosive Device (IED) incidents also dropped from 65 to 54, while civilian casualties linked to explosives fell sharply from 163 to 54.
The report attributed the reduction to intensified joint military operations by the Armed Forces of Nigeria and United States forces in northern and central Borno State, as well as reduced civilian movement due to heightened insecurity.
Despite the decline in explosive-related incidents, OCHA said military operations triggered retaliatory attacks by non-state armed groups in several communities, including Monguno, Damasak, Damboa, Bama, Konduga, Marte, Dikwa, Kukawa, Mobbar and Gwoza in Borno State, as well as Gujba in Yobe and Madagali in Adamawa.
The report noted that repeated attacks forced health and nutrition partners to suspend operations in Dapchi, Bursari Local Government Area, while humanitarian activities were also temporarily halted in Madagali and scaled down in Chibok following armed raids in early April.
It added that Nigerian troops successfully repelled attacks on Bazamri village in Konduga on May 13 and Alou Dam near Maiduguri on May 31. A total of 11 airstrikes were also conducted during the quarter, with major operations targeting Jilli Market and suspected insurgent positions in the Sambisa Forest and Mandara Mountains.
OCHA further reported an increase in attacks against humanitarian personnel and assets. A truck carrying relief supplies was looted near Gubio on April 11, while two aid workers were abducted in Monguno on June 24. Another humanitarian truck returning from Damasak came under attack on June 29, leaving its driver critically injured after hitting an IED near Kareto in Mobbar Local Government Area.
The report also highlighted worsening logistical challenges caused by flooding, fuel price increases, and restrictions on fertiliser transportation. A bridge collapsed in Rann following heavy rainfall, while a military ban on fertiliser transport without permits disrupted farming activities before the planting season.
OCHA expressed concern over the continued closure of internally displaced persons (IDP) camps and the relocation of displaced residents to communities that remain vulnerable to attacks. It warned that some of the relocated communities have experienced renewed insecurity, while tensions within IDP camps and host communities have also increased.
The UN agency noted that more than 3.5 million people remain internally displaced across the North-East, while nearly 35 million Nigerians are projected to face acute food insecurity between June and August 2026, underscoring the persistent humanitarian challenges facing the region.
