WFP needs $52m to support 700,000 Boko Haram victims in Nigeria

The World Food Program (WFP) reports that it requires $52 million between now and the end of the year to continue providing life-saving assistance to people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria’s north east.

According to the WFP, the humanitarian situation relative to food insecurity in the region is classified as being in the ‘emergency phase.’ They further note that a food assessment it carried out also portends soaring food prices in Boko Haram hit areas.

“The news comes as in the past days alone, tens of people have been killed or injured in Nigeria and in neighbouring Chad, Cameroon and Niger – an indication that Boko Haram violence is set to keep pushing more people into hunger and suffering,” said Abdou Dieng, WFP’s Regional Director for West Africa.

WFP noted that its current response was aiming to reach 700,000 people with food and cash assistance in the coming months. Out of the figure, 150,000 children under five will be given specialized nutritious food.

‘‘Much of it, as well as medicines, vaccines and medical equipment, is being delivered through the WFP-managed United Nations Humanitarian Air Service, frequently used by the wider humanitarian community,’‘ the WFP press release stated.

“All indications point to an extremely grave situation. As the rains set in and the lean season deepens, and more areas are opened up to access humanitarian aid, the full scale of hunger and devastation is likely to come to light,” Dieng added.

The security situation in the region remains fluid, with more people uprooted in areas where fighting goes on. Displaced people are returning to find their rural homes uninhabitable: as a result they are forced to stay in urban areas because they are entirely reliant on external assistance.

Years of conflict in #Nigeria have led to a humanitarian crisis. WFP is scaling up assistance to reach 700K+ people pic.twitter.com/YbyeQ845n5

— World Food Programme (@WFP) August 23, 2016