The United Nations has allocated about $10.5 million to help thousands of women, children and men in need of life-saving humanitarian assistance.
The humanitarian crisis in northeast Nigeria and the lake Chad region is one of the most severe in the world today, with 8.5 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
The worst affected states in Nigeris include Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
The crisis has come as a result of a more than seven-year insurgency waged by Islamists militant group Boko Haram.
The insurgency has killed thousands and forced millions others to flee their homes.
The UN fund is expected to provide humanitarian assistance to more than 6.9 million people.
It will prioritize life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable, and also expand the humanitarian assistance provided by the United Nations and partners to the hard-to-reach and newly accessible areas.
“This crisis has caused an untold loss of life and liberty across the north-east of Nigeria and civilians continue to bear the brunt of the conflict,” said Mr. Edward Kallon, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria. “These funds will go towards addressing some of the key priority areas in the humanitarian response that have not yet been financially supported, including the provision of safe drinking water, emergency shelter and health services to those in need.”
Earlier this month, the Nigerian army set a new deadline to capture Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau, dead or alive.
The army set a 40-day deadline for his capture. It has however in the past staged attacks against Boko Haram, but was unsuccessful in getting to the elusive leader.
