Northeastern Nigeria is facing a severe hunger crisis as ongoing attacks by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), the regional affiliate of ISIS, have displaced 4.8 million people.
Those who have fled their homes in the states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe are grappling with severe food and shelter shortages, with children particularly vulnerable to malnutrition. The relentless terrorist activities have prevented farmers from accessing their fields, exacerbating the food crisis. Additionally, in regions like Rann in Borno, elephants are causing further damage by trampling crops.
United Nations (UN) Nigeria Humanitarian Aid and Resident Coordinator Mohamed Fall highlighted the dire situation in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe, noting that 4.8 million people are at severe risk of hunger—the highest level in seven years.
The situation is expected to worsen during the rainy season from June to August. Fall warned that an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of five are at risk of acute malnutrition over the next six months, with half of these children in immediate danger if they do not receive timely treatment and nutritional support.
Abiso Sheikh Hassan, a Service Provider for Community Management of Acute Malnutrition in Rann, reported a significant increase in malnutrition cases among children in Borno. Hassan said, on average, 10-12 children are hospitalized daily due to malnutrition in Rann.Hassan explained that mothers struggle to breastfeed adequately due to the lack of food, leading to malnutrition among children.
Despite the distribution of ready-made foods by international organizations, supplies are dwindling, and families are in urgent need of further assistance. Hadiza Saleh, a 20-year-old mother in Rann, recounted her struggles with food scarcity, which has left her child severely malnourished. Saleh described the daily battle to find even one meal and appealed for help from the government and international organizations.
The UN Humanitarian Aid Coordination Office in Nigeria has called for $306.4 million in aid over the next six months to address food insecurity in northeastern Nigeria. This funding aims to assist over 4 million people at risk of hunger, with $2.8 million allocated for food aid and $2.2 million for emergency agricultural support. The UN emphasized that this aid is crucial to preventing further disasters and saving lives in the region. (Guardian)
