The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has allocated $11 million for assistance to displaced persons in Borno State.

The money is to provide life-saving aid to over 60,000 persons displaced by insurgency.

The money is urgently for humanitarian operations to support internally displaced people in Borno and others in north-east Nigeria.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said $9 billion was actually needed to bring life back to thousands displaced by ongoing Boko Haram menace.

The $11 million allocated is from the UN-managed country-based humanitarian assistance fund.

Mr Edward Kallon, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, said: “The crisis continues to displace thousands of vulnerable women, children and men every week.

“Many have gone through unspeakable hardship and the UN and its partners remain committed to help alleviate their suffering.”

Set up through the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund (NHF), the assistance includes $2 dollars in support to the UN Humanitarian Air Service for frontline responders in the north-east.

“This UN fund give us the flexibility to prioritise those who are most in need of aid and act swiftly for the good of the people of north-east Nigeria,” Kallon said.

The UN said the Northeast region’s humanitarian crisis, sparked mainly by Boko Haram’s years-long insurgency, remained one of the most severe globally.

“In the worst-affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, at least 7.7 million people are in need this year, with about 80 per cent, or 6.1 million, targeted for humanitarian assistance.

“The money will help fund 15 projects supporting humanitarian rapid response in areas affected by large-scale conflict-related displacements, particularly in the northern parts of Borno, along the Maiduguri-Monguno axis.

“In just three months, the close to 30,000 people who have fled violence in hard-to-reach areas are in dire need of food, water, shelter, clothes and medical services.

“Additionally, the funds will help scale up the response near the border with Cameroon in eastern Borno – Gwoza, Bama, Dikwa, Kala/Balge, Monguno, Askira/Uba – and northern Adamawa – Madagali – where approximately another 30,000 have arrived following military operations.

“Finally, the funds will also help maintain UN Humanitarian Air Service operations, crucial to reach and deliver aid in remote areas of the north-east, especially where roads are unusable.” (NAN)

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