UN releases N3.7bn to displaced persons in N’East

The United Nations Humanitarian Chief, Mr. Stephen O’Brien, has released about N3.7bn ($13m) as life-saving support to the 250,000 Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, who announced this in a statement, said that the money was released the by the Central Emergency Response Fund.

“The United Nations humanitarian chief, Stephen O’Brien, has released $13m from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), to provide life-saving assistance to 250,000 people in parts of theNorth-East of Nigeria.

“The destruction of crops and looting of livestock have left many people unable to support their families.

“More than 50,000 people need seeds and tools for the upcoming planting season. Women, girls, men and boys have suffered or witnessed terrible abuses.

“CERF funds will enable humanitarian partners to provide critical psycho- social support and protection services. CERF funding will help them to rebuild their livelihoods,” it said.

According to the statement, the Humanitarian Response Plan for Nigeria was revised upwards by N14.3bn ($51m) this month, and currently needs N78.4bn (about $279m).

The statement added that the IDPs had suffered so much from the activities of Boko Haram in the North-East and needed to be supported for survival.

It noted that CERT had since last year been providing life-saving assistance to the internally displaced persons in the North-East.

Meanwhile, the Government of Qatar on Tuesday presented foodstuffs valued at N6.5m to IDPs in Borno State.

The items comprise rice, beans, millet, guinea corn, maize and palm oil.

Presenting the items in Maiduguri, the Director of Qatar Charity, Sheikh Mohammed Ajur, said the gesture was to complement “humanitarian assistance and intervention” of the United Nations and other donor agencies to the IDPs.

Ajur said, “Let me use this opportunity to present this small token of food items from Qatar government through this charity to displaced people in camps in Borno State for immediate distribution.”

Ajur, who commended the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi and the Shehu of Borno, Abubakar el-Kanemi, for their support in alleviating the suffering of the IDPs, called for a quick return of peace to the state.

 Receiving the items on behalf of Governor Kashim Shettima, his deputy, Usman Durkwa, thanked the government of Qatar and other non-governmental organisations for their assistance to the plight of the IDPs.