News
Somalia: MSF helps address protracted humanitarian crisis in Baidoa
Somalia: MSF helps address protracted humanitarian crisis in Baidoa
By Abdulkareem Yakubu
“Baidoa has been a place where MSF worked for a long time. Today it is struggling with a large number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). There are about 1.1 million people in Baidoa and its surroundings. Of those, nearly 740,000 are IDPs and the conditions they are struggling with are profound”, said Dr Tammam Aloudat, president of MSF in the Netherlands.
Today an estimated four million people, or one in five of the population of Somalia, face emergency food insecurity, 3.8 million people are displaced from their homes, and 1.7 million children under five are acutely malnourished. The protracted humanitarian crisis behind these shocking figures is a result of ongoing conflict, climate-related disasters such as floods and droughts, recurrent outbreaks of infectious diseases and high levels of poverty.
In 2023, Somalia’s second city, Baidoa, suffered extreme climatic conditions, including the worst drought in 40 years and floods related to El-Niño – a climate phenomenon associated with extreme weather events. Baidoa large numbers of displaced people – around 740,000 of the city’s one million inhabitants have been displaced from elsewhere in the country – and continues to receive new arrivals, with more than 27,049 displaced people arriving in Baidoa already this year. This has put a massive strain on the city’s already limited resources, particularly on water and sanitation services. As the rainy season approaches, the risks increase of outbreaks of waterborne diseases, including cholera outbreaks.
When they fall sick or need medical care, many displaced people in Baidoa struggle to reach a health facility. “My sister was having labour pains but I could not take her to hospital to get medical care,” says a 23-year-old woman living in a camp in Baidoa. “Our biggest challenges are travelling on roads made impassable by flooding and insecurity as well as the high cost of transport. We need better access to hospital through ambulance services and good roads.”
Maternal and infant mortality rates in Somalia are among the highest in the world, largely due to people’s limited access to medical care, exacerbated by droughts, floods and heightened conflict. Displaced women and children living in camps are particularly at risk. With only two hospitals in Baidoa catering to the growing number of displaced people, there is an urgent need to strengthen primary health services to enable pregnant women to access essential care, reduce late referrals and encourage women to give birth in medical facilities rather than in potentially unsafe conditions in their homes or shelters.
MSF has been supporting Bay regional hospital in Baidoa since May 2018 to address the healthcare needs of women and children, reduce infant and paediatric mortality, and prepare for potential disease outbreaks. MSF teams provide a range of medical services to mothers and children in the hospital as well as through community-based clinics and through vaccination campaigns targeting pregnant women and newborn babies.
“We are making our services more efficient by building semi-permanent structures in seven outreach locations, where we are providing basic antenatal care, treatment for diarrhoea, respiratory tract infections and malaria, health promotion activities and referrals,” says MSF head of programmes Dr Pitchou Kayembe.
It is not only in Baidoa that health services are struggling. The humanitarian crisis and the rising numbers of displaced people are putting pressure countrywide on healthcare providers, including aid organisations. As well as increased patient numbers and growing costs, the provision of medical and humanitarian aid has been disrupted by insecurity.
“We urge all humanitarian organisations in Baidoa to work in a coordinated manner to address the unmet needs of displaced people in terms of food, shelter, clean water and access to healthcare, and to invest more in strengthening capacity to respond ahead of the upcoming rainy season,” adds Dr Kayembe.
According to UN-OCHA, 6.9 million people in Somalia need humanitarian assistance in 2024, including 5.2 million targeted for aid. The humanitarian response plan necessitates $1.6 billion in funding, currently experiencing a funding gap of $1.4 billion. The few humanitarian organisations in Southwest state of Somalia that are addressing the needs of displaced people lack funding and require better coordination to optimise the available resources.
Despite cuts in humanitarian funding observed in Somalia, MSF remains committed to continuing its work in Somalia, with a focus on Southwest state, which has just one referral hospital and two general hospitals for the entire region.
“We are seeing lots of media coverage about emergencies like Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine, all of which are catastrophic and require humanitarian assistance and attention, but that must not come at the cost of less visible emergencies or continued protracted crises such as that in Somalia,” concluded the President of MSF- Netherlands, Dr Tammam Aloudat.
ENDS
Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organisation dedicated to providing medical assistance to populations in distress, including victims of natural and manmade disasters and armed conflict. For more than four decades, MSF has helped address the humanitarian and health needs of Somali communities. In 2023, MSF teams worked in Hargeisa, Sool, Galkacyo North, Galkacyo South, Baidoa and Dhobley, treating more than 2,000 children for malnutrition, 15,635 patients for acute watery diarrhoea and providing 204,531 outpatient consultations. Currently, MSF teams are actively engaged in responding to health needs in Galkacyo North, Galkacyo South and Baidoa.
Abdulkareem Yakubu, is the Field Communication Officer at MSF and could be reached on:
Email: comms-officer@somalia.msf.org
Phone: +254 702 069 958

Somalia: MSF helps address protracted humanitarian crisis in Baidoa
News
Violent clash in Sabon-Titi area of Tunga Minna leaves one dead, several arrested
Violent clash in Sabon-Titi area of Tunga Minna leaves one dead, several arrested
By: Zagazola Makama
A violent confrontation among rival youths in Sabon-Titi area of Tunga, Minna, Niger State, resulted in the death of one person and the arrest of several others, security sources confirmed on Saturday.
According to sources, on Friday at about 8:00 p.m., a group of youths armed with dangerous weapons were sighted causing havoc along David Mark Road. Security operatives quickly intervened and dispersed the group.
However, at about 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, the same group engaged in a violent clash among themselves using matchets and daggers. Twelve suspects, including Ibrahim Musa, Abbah Hussaini, Babangida Gambo, and Abubakar Bala, were arrested, by the police and their weapons recovered.
Later at about 8:30 a.m., Bello Mohammed of Farm Centre, Tunga Minna, was found lying in a pool of blood. He was rushed to General Hospital Minna but was confirmed dead on arrival.
Sources said that preliminary investigations indicate that the deceased was among the suspected thugs terrorizing residents in the area.
Violent clash in Sabon-Titi area of Tunga Minna leaves one dead, several arrested
News
Young fulani man killed, six cows poisoned in separate farmland incidents in Plateau state
Young fulani man killed, six cows poisoned in separate farmland incidents in Plateau state
By: Zagazola Makama
A 25-year-old Fulani man, Yakubu Salisu of Tenti village, Bokkos Local Government Area, was killed in a violent attack, while six cows were poisoned in a separate incident in Riyom Local Government Area of Plateau State on Saturday, authorities confirmed.
According to sources , Salisu was stabbed at the back by yet-to-be-identified assailants suspected to be locals of Bokkos. He died instantly at the scene.
Before the attack, a farmer, Josiah Joshua, 28, said he reportedly confronted six herders rearing cows on his farm. According to him, herders allegedly refused to remove the animals and attacked Joshua, resulting in injuries.
In retaliation, Joshua mobilized his friends to attack Yakubu Salisu, stabbing him multiple times on his before and killing him instantly.
Local leaders told Zagazola that the claims by some parties suggesting the Fulani victims “invaded farmlands” are false and appear to be an attempt to justify the attacks. Investigations indicate both incidents were unprovoked and targeted.
The police, however stormed the scene, photographed the corps and later released to relatives for burial according to Islamic rites, as the family declined an autopsy. The Authorities said they have commenced investigation, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, in Riyom LGA, six cows were poisoned in Kwi village without any apparent provocation.
Authorities have commenced investigations into both incidents, and efforts are ongoing to apprehend the perpetrators.
Security officials warned residents to remain vigilant and urged communities to avoid taking the law into their own hands.
These incidents illustrate the rising tensions in Plateau State, drawing attention to the need for swift intervention to prevent escalation of communal violence over farmland disputes.
Young fulani man killed, six cows poisoned in separate farmland incidents in Plateau state
News
Silent Changes, Big Impact: Adeola Ajayi’s Transformation of the DSS
Silent Changes, Big Impact: Adeola Ajayi’s Transformation of the DSS
By: Sunday Oladapo
Leadership in the security sector often reveals itself not through grand speeches or public displays of authority, but through quiet, deliberate decisions that gradually shift systems, culture, and outcomes. Adeola Ajayi’s stewardship of the Department of State Services (DSS) exemplifies this subtle but powerful form of leadership. Though he rarely seeks the spotlight, the changes unfolding under his watch are reshaping the DSS in ways that many insiders describe as the most meaningful transformation the agency has witnessed in years.
From the moment Ajayi assumed office, it was clear he was bringing a different kind of energy—one rooted in discipline, modernization, and strategic silence. Instead of sweeping pronouncements, he focused on strengthening the agency’s foundation: its people, processes, and purpose. And this approach, though understated, is now yielding visible dividends.
Reinvigorating Professionalism and Intelligence Capacity
One of Ajayi’s most significant achievements is the recalibration of the DSS’s intelligence framework. Recognizing that modern threats—from terrorism to cybercrime—require an intelligence service that is both proactive and technologically sophisticated, he initiated targeted reforms to upgrade analytical tools, digital surveillance capacity, and field operations coordination.
Training programs have also been revitalized. Officers are now exposed to global best practices in intelligence gathering, behavioral analysis, cybersecurity, and inter-agency communication. The goal is simple but transformative: build a DSS that can prevent threats before they materialize, rather than merely responding after damage has been done.
Ajayi’s emphasis on data-driven intelligence has contributed to more efficient threat assessment, improved crisis response, and a more agile internal structure that encourages innovation instead of outdated, rigid protocols.
Strengthening Inter-Agency Collaboration
A common weakness in Nigeria’s security architecture has been fragmentation—agencies working in silos, often competing rather than collaborating. Ajayi has worked quietly but effectively to change this dynamic. His leadership has fostered smoother cooperation between the DSS, the police, the military, and other national security institutions.
By prioritizing information-sharing, joint operations, and coordinated strategy development, Ajayi has positioned the DSS as a core driver of national security synergy. This shift may not be flashy, but its impact on operational success is already becoming evident.
Humanizing the Service and Rebuilding Public Trust
For many years, perceptions of the DSS fluctuated between respect and apprehension, largely due to concerns over transparency and human-rights practices. Ajayi has taken deliberate steps to address this by promoting a more professional, rights-conscious operational culture. Officers now undergo enhanced training on ethical conduct, community engagement, and communication.
While the DSS is not—and cannot be—a public-relations-driven institution, Ajayi understands that a modern security service must maintain a level of trust with the citizens it protects. His reforms are gradually helping to redefine the agency’s public interface, balancing its mandate for secrecy with an improved commitment to professionalism and accountability.
Internal Welfare and Institutional Stability
Security agencies perform best when their personnel feel valued, motivated, and well-equipped. Ajayi has strengthened internal welfare systems, ensuring officers receive improved support, clearer career growth opportunities, and the tools they need to perform effectively. This has boosted morale and reduced internal friction—two factors crucial for operational efficiency.
His quiet stabilizing influence has also brought a sense of predictability to DSS operations. Under his leadership, the agency appears more insulated from political turbulence, allowing it to focus squarely on its mandate.
A Leadership Style Rooted in Strategy, Not Spectacle
In a time when some leaders rely on bravado or theatrics to appear effective, Ajayi stands out for his disciplined restraint. His philosophy seems guided by a fundamental principle: a security agency’s success is measured in outcomes, not headlines. The calmness of his leadership style has enabled him to pursue reforms without unnecessary noise, distractions, or politicization.
And this may be the true hallmark of his impact—delivering change through consistency rather than controversy.
Looking Ahead: A Long-Term Blueprint for the DSS
If the momentum of Ajayi’s reforms is sustained, the DSS could emerge as a more modern, reliable, and globally respected intelligence service. His agenda sets a foundation for:
A culture of professionalism over patronage
A stronger intelligence-driven approach to national security
A more integrated and collaborative security environment
A service that balances secrecy with lawful, ethical conduct
A stable institution that prioritizes national interest above all else
His leadership demonstrates that meaningful reform does not always come with fanfare. Sometimes, it comes quietly—through silent changes that produce big, enduring impact.
In transforming the DSS with such strategic subtlety, Adeola Ajayi is not only redefining the institution but also showing that a new era of thoughtful, modern security leadership is both possible and already taking shape.
Sunday Oladapo is a public analysts from Abuja
Silent Changes, Big Impact: Adeola Ajayi’s Transformation of the DSS
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