By Asmau Ahmad
United Nations on Monday, called on the Nigerian government to commit more resources and to implement mitigation measures to save lives and prevent a potentially catastrophic food security and nutrition situation.
UN Associate Spokesperson, Ms Stephanie Tremblay, who made the call at a news conference in New York, also called on the donor community, and public and private stakeholders to commit resources to address food insecurity in the country.
According to her, nearly 25 million Nigerians are at risk of hunger between June and August this year, if urgent action is not taken.
“This is according to the October 2022 – we call that in French – Cadre Harmonisé, a food and nutrition analysis led by the government of Nigeria, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation, UNICEF and the World Food Programme,” said the official.
Tremblay said continued conflict, climate change, inflation and rising food prices were the key drivers of this alarming trend, noting that children were the most vulnerable to food insecurity.
Meanwhile, speaking on the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the spokesperson said the secretary-general strongly condemned the deadly attack that took place at a church in Kasindi on Sunday, in the North Kivu province, in Congo’s east.
She said UN peacekeeping colleagues on the ground had reported that the casualty toll increased to 13 civilians killed and 76 injured, of whom 19 were in critical condition.
“The UN peacekeeping mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is providing medical evacuation by air and road to the injured, in coordination, of course, with Congolese authorities.
“The UN mission’s ambulances and medical teams are also on standby to reinforce national capacities if required,” Tremblay said.
According to her, the secretary-general stressed the need to hold the perpetrators of this attack to account.
She further said the United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) was supporting the Congolese authorities in conducting the investigation into the circumstances of the incident.
