UNITED NATIONS, May 22 (Xinhua) -- Millions of people across Nigeria are bracing for one of the worst lean seasons on record amid conflict, violence and insecurity, UN humanitarians said Friday.
In a news release, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that economic pressures and unprecedented funding constraints are pushing Nigerian families to the brink.
The UN Humanitarian Country Team in Nigeria reported that nearly one in seven people, or 35 million people nationwide, are likely to face acute food insecurity during this year's lean season from June to August, said the office.
"This makes Nigeria one of the world's largest hunger crises, with the burden falling overwhelmingly on northern Nigeria," it said. "If assistance is further delayed, millions of families will be forced to further reduce meals, sell assets and withdraw their children from school."
OCHA said that acute malnutrition is also projected to peak, placing millions of children at risk. Across northwest and northeast Nigeria, it is estimated that 6.4 million children are likely to be acutely malnourished this year.
The United Nations and its humanitarian partners are appealing for urgent funding to scale up life-saving assistance.
"Resources from the Nigeria Humanitarian Fund have jump-started the response, but more is needed to meet immediate life-saving humanitarian needs," OCHA said. "The already hyper-prioritized 516 million U.S. dollar Humanitarian Needs and Response Plan is just over 40 percent funded, with 215 million dollars received." ■