Humanitarian Workers Under Siege: Attacks on Aid Personnel Reach Crisis Levels

Strategic Insights -

Humanitarian workers in Nigeria are sounding the alarm over the escalating risks to their safety, with many speaking out about the constant attacks they face from non-state actors. The World Humanitarian Day has brought to the forefront the terrifying reality of aid workers' lives in Nigeria, where they are exposed to high levels of violence and intimidation. Mustapha Kolo, a humanitarian worker, shared his harrowing experience of surviving five deadly attacks in Damasak and Dikwa local government areas of Borno State. Kolo's story highlights the dire situation facing aid workers, who are not only vulnerable to attacks but also face funding shortages and contract terminations. The global community is urged to take immediate action to protect humanitarian workers and civilians from these heinous crimes.

Key Takeaways:

  • The number of aid workers killed in 2024 reached a record high of 383, with 265 being killed this year, up to August 14, according to the Aid Worker Security Database.
  • State actors were the most common perpetrators of killings in 2024, and most of those killed were local staff who were attacked in the line of duty or in their homes.
  • In Nigeria, approximately 12 aid workers lost their lives in the line of duty between 2018 and the present, according to the Network for Civil Society Organizations in Borno State.
  • Humanitarian organizations are facing significant funding challenges, with aid spending shrinking by almost 60% since the USAID fund withdrawal.
  • Aid workers are being forced to take on part-time jobs to survive, using their limited knowledge gained from humanitarian work to adapt to the new reality.
  • The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for perpetrators to be brought to justice, saying that humanitarians must be respected and protected.
  • The UN's World Health Organisation reported 1,121 health workers and patients killed and hundreds injured in attacks across 16 territories, with most deaths occurring in Sudan.
  • The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement has lost 18 staff and volunteers this year, with each killing sending a message that their lives are expendable.

Statistics:

  • 383 aid workers were killed in 2024, a 31% increase from the previous year.
  • 265 aid workers have been killed this year, up to August 14.
  • 308 aid workers were wounded, 125 kidnapped, and 45 detained in 2024.
  • 265 aid workers were killed this year, up to August 14.
  • 1,121 health workers and patients were killed, and hundreds injured in attacks across 16 territories.

Sources:

  • The United Nations, "Record 383 aid workers killed in 2024, UN says"
  • The Aid Worker Security Database, "Provisional figures on aid worker security incidents in 2024"
  • The Network for Civil Society Organizations in Borno State, "Report on aid worker deaths in Nigeria"
  • The United Nations, "World Humanitarian Day 2025: Joint Communique by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction and the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria"
  • The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, "Humanitarian workers under siege: Attacks on aid personnel reach crisis levels"