UN Agency Seeks $89 million To Feed 17 Million People Facing Acute Hunger In Northern Nigeria

Banditry has taken a dangerous toll on Northern Nigeria as the United Nations (UN) World Food Programme (WFP) revealed that over 17 million people are now facing acute food insecurity.

It stated that conflict, funding cuts, and worsening access have pushed northern Nigeria into its worst hunger crisis in nearly a decade.

The latest Cadre Harmonisé analysis shows more than 17 million people across nine conflict-affected northern states are at crisis, emergency, or catastrophic levels of hunger.

That is an increase of nearly 2 million people from the previous assessment.

Borno State is the most affected. Renewed insurgent attacks and suspended food aid have left over 3 million people acutely food insecure

“Of them, 750,000 face severe hunger and 10,000+ are in catastrophic hunger — the highest level, often linked to famine-like conditions.

“What concerns us most is how this crisis is expanding,” said WFP’s Kinday Samba.

“For years, insurgent attacks were largely concentrated in the Northeast. Today, they are spreading across a much wider area and forcing people from farmland, driving displacement and restricting humanitarian access, meaning hunger is quick to follow.

WFP pointed out that the number of locations partially inaccessible to aid workers has doubled in recent months. An additional 15 areas are now difficult to reach due to insecurity.

“Attacks and illegal checkpoints are disrupting relief convoys. In several locations, air transport is now the only option.