The World Food Programme has issued a stark warning, revealing that over 17 million individuals in nine conflict-ridden states in northern Nigeria are grappling with extreme hunger. This alarming situation has escalated due to violence, mass displacement, and significant cuts to humanitarian funding, resulting in the country’s gravest food insecurity in almost ten years.
Borno State is at the epicenter of this crisis, with more than three million residents facing acute food shortages. Notably, over 750,000 individuals are on the brink of severe hunger.
The agency emphasized an urgent requirement of $89 million over the next six months to continue providing essential food assistance. It cautioned that diminishing humanitarian support, coupled with ongoing clashes, is compelling families to flee their homes. This perilous journey heightens the risks for women and children and has drawn some youths towards armed groups in a desperate search for sustenance.
