The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), said on Wednesday that humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and Lake Chad is the most severe in the World adding that humanitarian crisis in the region had left over 8.5 million people in dire need of assistance.
In its report, the body mentioned that the Boko Haram crisis has resulted in the violations of International Humanitarian and Human Rights Law, overwhelming impact on Food Security and Nutrition, with the worst affected States being Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
“About 450,000 children, under five are in need of Nutrition support and this has been compounded by the lean season between July and September.
“Today, more than 1.7 million people are internally displaced in the three worst affected States with 80 per cent of the IDPs in Borno, the epic centre of the crisis.
The report pointed out that more than half of those living outside the IDP camps, were among the poorest in the world.
It added that the Food and Nutrition situation in some areas were improving, emphasizing that nearly two million people receive food assistance in kind or cash every month.
“Nutrition partners have reached nearly 500,000 children, pregnant and lactating women this year through supplementary feeding programmes”.
“For 2017/2018, the strategic focus of humanitarian partners is on integrated and coordinated life-saving assistance, strengthened protection of civilians, enhanced humanitarian access and durable solutions”.
In 2015, the UN released $58m to Nigeria’s North East ravaged by Boko Haram, to assist the IDPs.
In June 2016, the body approved $13m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to Nigeria to help those living in IDPs in the North East. The US also released $13m for victims of the activities of Boko Haram.
Since the beginning of 2017, UN has allocated $22m, $24m, and $10.5m respectively to Nigeria.
The UK provided $259m five year emergency assistance package for Nigeria, to combat the terrorist group. This means for each year, Nigeria will get $51.8m.
According to the latest U.N. figures, as at July, the crisis in 10 countries including South Sudan, Yemen, Somalia and Nigeria, is dire, with 20 million across the region at risk of starvation.
According to the U.N., in Yemen alone, a child under the age of five dies from preventable causes every 10 minutes, and 7 million people are on the verge of famine. In Somalia and Nigeria, another 7 million people don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
“It is the largest humanitarian crisis in the world”
Despite 64% funding, the 2017 Nigeria Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) appeals for $1.05 billion to target 6.9 million people for Humanitarian Assistance. Humanitarian partners, level and quality of humanitarian access to the most affected people in need and the insecure environment is often considered.
Nigeria is the third worst hit with humanitarian crisis and not the worst as stated by most media houses. Apparently, the UN statement being quoted covers both Nigeria and Chad. Yemen is the worst hit with humanitarian crisis, according to the UN humanitarian coordinator in Yemen, Jamie McGoldrick.
