Severe hunger affects 4.3 million people in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, according to Mathias Schmale, a United Nations’ top humanitarian official in Nigeria.
Schmale on Wednesday, told journalists in Geneva, Switzerland, that the number of children under five at risk of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition had reached about 700,000.
“I have been to Borno and the other two states several times. I’ve seen mothers fighting for the lives of their malnourished children in nutrition stabilisation centres. Those of us who are parents must imagine what it’s like when you cannot ensure your children have enough to eat,” he said.
WikkiData: Out of 524 Seats in Northern Assemblies, Females Get 18
According to him, the “catastrophic” situation is primarily the result of more than a decade of insecurity linked to non-state armed groups, which prevents people from farming and earning income from the land.
He said another harmful factor is climate change and extreme weather impacts. “Last year saw the worst floods in 10 years in Nigeria, which affected more than 4.4 million people across the country.
“Soaring food prices, fuel and fertilisers have exacerbated the crisis, and the response remains severely underfunded,” he added.
The UN official added that out of the $1.3 billion in humanitarian funding needed for the region, only 25 per cent was secured.
