Nigeria, Nov. 29 -- Florence Ajaba strolled past rows of identical make-shift tents branded with the logos of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) towards a familiar one where Aba Aondasee waited with his son, Alia, whom he held delicately in his arms.

After exchanging pleasantries with Mr Aondasee, Ms Ajaba squatted beside Alia and inserted his hand into a circle formed by a multi-coloured 26-centimetre-long tape, then fastened it like a belt to fit the two-year-old's upper arm.

"This is how we check for nutritional risk in children," Ms Ajaba told PREMIUM TIMES in June, explaining what she had learnt from Red Cross officials at the Mega Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Benue State.

The tool, a Mid-Upper Arm Ci...