In spite of the UK Telegraph’s article which alleged that President Muhammadu Buhari was diverting funds meant to tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, the United Kingdom will make available to Nigeria £32m over the next three years to help deliver basic, life-saving assistance and protection to some of the 7 million people who have been displaced and affected by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.
The funds will be given to Nigeria through the United Nations, the International Committee of the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations.
The said funds will be used to provide support for critical life-saving areas including nutrition, food security, water and sanitation, and protection of civilians affected by the conflict.
Speaking on the proposed release of the funds, UK Minister for International Development, Nick Hurd, said: “The UK is committed to continuing to help Nigeria to provide humanitarian assistance and protection for people affected by the conflict in north east Nigeria.”
“We welcome Nigeria’s efforts to support the affected population. We look forward to continuing to work with all partners to strengthen the humanitarian effort to reach the most vulnerable, many of whom are in areas that are difficult to access.”
Hurd added that the humanitarian needs in the North-East were enormous and growing, saying that a sustained, large-scale government-led response is needed to meet people’s basic needs and to help them to rebuild their lives once security conditions allow them to return to their places of origin.
£8.2m has been provided by the UK since 2014 to help address the humanitarian needs of people affected by the conflict through violence, displacement, and loss of livelihoods.
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