World Food Programme says that an estimated two million children under the age of five in the North-East are suffering from moderate malnutrition while other 700,000 suffers from severe acute malnutrition which is quite tripling compared to the total number in 2022.
The Country Director and Representative of the World Food Programme, David Stevenson, disclosed this in an interview with newsmen at Muna IDP camp on Monday in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
He noted that, severe acute malnutrition is worsening in the region and its needs urgent action from the government and other relevant stakeholders.
According to him, more than 4.4 million people in the North-East are urgently in need of food assistance while WFP is scaling up to provide emergency food and nutrition assistance to 2.1 million people in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states where Boko Haram caused great concern of humanitarian assistance.
He explained that, years of armed conflict in northeast Nigeria had contributed to hunger and malnutrition among people with millions in need of life-saving assistance and so much at risk of famine.
“Nutrition in the North-East is a big challenge, in assessment led by government involving World Food Program and partners estimated 2 million of the 4.4 people who are in urgent need of food assistance and nutrition assistance”.
“Two million children in the region are suffering from acute malnutrition, 700,000 children are severe acute malnourished, that is quadruplet.
Speaking, French Ambassador to Nigeria, Ms. Emmanuelle Blatmann, said France over past years has injected 8 million euro into WFP while this year injected about 3 with intentions to provide life saving assistance.
He reiterated the commitment of her country in restoring peace and security in Nigeria by providing support to Nigeria Army, Navy and Police forces.
“France also supports the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) in its fight against Boko Haram through intelligence and operational cooperation, and provides political support to the Lake Chad Basin Commission”.
“France is part of the International Support Group for Regional Strategy for the Stabilization, Recovery & Resilience of the African Union and the Chad Basin Commission” he said.
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