The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, has unveiled a staggering statistic, revealing that a substantial 8.3 million Nigerians are currently facing urgent humanitarian needs in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa. This revelation was made through a statement released by her Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Rasheed Zubair, in Abuja.
Dr Edu emphasised that within the broader context, 16 million Nigerians are grappling with various humanitarian crises, with the trio of Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa being the hardest hit.
Furthermore, the Minister underscored the gravity of the situation by highlighting that Benue State, beyond the Northeast, has been designated as the epicentre of humanitarian crises in Nigeria by the United Nations.
“We have a substantial task ahead of us. At this moment, more than 16 million Nigerians are grappling with humanitarian crises, whether arising from man-made conflicts or natural disasters, with over 8.3 million of them concentrated in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe,” Dr Edu stated.
She further revealed that these challenges are not confined to the Northeast alone, as several states in the North Central region and others across the nation are also grappling with pressing humanitarian issues.
“The United Nations has identified Benue as the humanitarian need capital of Nigeria, which underscores the significant work that must be undertaken to address these humanitarian concerns,” she added.
Dr Edu further highlighted that one of the critical priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s administration is to combat poverty in Nigeria, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target of reducing poverty (SDG Goal 1). This highlights the government’s commitment to addressing the pressing humanitarian needs of its citizens.
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