West and Central Africa: Latest events at a glance (8 -14 April 2025)

Burkina Faso

Attacks lead to an estimated 10,000 newly displaced people in Sourou province

On 5 April, simultaneous attacks on Mara-Grand,
Ourkoum, and Tiao villages in Sourou province, northern Boucle du Mouhoun region, forced over 10,000 people to flee to Tougan, the provincial capital, according to estimates from the Provincial Directorate of Humanitarian Action. Registration is still ongoing. Those newly displaced have found temporary refuge in the building of the Provincial Directorate and among host communities.

However, more suitable shelter arrangements are urgently needed. As of 30 March, Tougan was already host to 60,000 internally displaced persons. The growing influx is putting additional pressure on limited resources as many humanitarian actors are struggling to maintain operations amid funding cuts.

At least 400 people displaced in Yatenga province following security incidents

As of 4 April, around 400 people had been displaced from Nondin village to Kalo in Thiou commune, Yatenga province, Nord region, and some had fled to Mali, following security incidents involving threats of eviction, house fires, and livestock theft, according to community sources. These newly displaced people remain in urgent need of protection, shelter, and food. On 6 April, Sim village in the same commune was attacked, with two solar-powered boreholes destroyed to prevent returns. Earlier, on 15 March, residents of Bani village in the same province also fled for the same reasons. Humanitarian access to the area remains challenging.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Armed conflict disrupts education in Kalehe territory

Between January and March, armed conflict significantly disrupted education in Kalehe territory, South Kivu, in the east of the country. According to education partners, one school was destroyed, 12 were occupied by armed groups, and five are being used as shelters for displaced people.

Nigeria

Acute medicine shortages amid disease outbreaks in Borno state

Health partners in Damasak and Monguno, Borno State, north-east Nigeria, raised concerns on 9 April over critical shortages of routine medicines amid increasing disease outbreaks. In Monguno, measles cases are surging across internally displaced persons (IDP) sites and host communities, with cases rising from one in January to 14 in March. Despite the surge, essential medicines remain unavailable, increasing the risk that diseases will spread.
In Damasak, the general hospital continues to be overwhelmed, limiting access to healthcare, particularly for IDPs relying on humanitarian health interventions.

The situation highlights the urgent need for sustained public health interventions targeting those living in overcrowded conditions and underserved communities.

Health partners launched a measles prevention campaign in March, focusing on risk communication, community awareness, and expanded vaccination outreach. They are advocating for urgent supplies of routine medicines to restore access to lifesaving treatments and relieve pressure on overstretched health facilities.