The United Nations has projected acute hunger for four million three hundred thousand people in the North East regions of Nigeria, specifically Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe.
Mr. Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian official in Nigeria, revealed to journalists on Wednesday in Geneva that the number of
children under five at risk of life-threatening severe acute malnutrition had doubled in one year, reaching 700,000.
Describing the situation in northeast Nigeria, Mr. Schmale said, “I have been to Borno and the other two states several times. I have seen mothers fighting for the lives of their malnourished children in nutrition stabilization centers. Those of us who are parents must imagine what it is like when you cannot ensure your children have enough to eat.”
According to him, the “catastrophic” situation is primarily the result of over a decade of insecurity linked to non-state armed groups, which prevents people from farming and earning income from the land.
Another detrimental factor is climate change and extreme weather impacts. Last year witnessed the worst floods in 10 years in Nigeria, affecting more than 4.4 million people across the country, not just the North-East.
Soaring food prices, fuel costs, and fertilizers have exacerbated the crisis, and the response remains severely underfunded.
The UN official added that out of the $1.3 billion in humanitarian funding needed for the region, only 25 percent has been secured.