What Next For Nigeria As 50,000 Children Are Projected To Die Of Starvation?

By Ewah Chika.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to fathom the problems troubling Nigeria nor their solution as everything seems to have become bloated all of a sudden. From the high inflation rate to unemployment to lack to social amenities yet this is nothing compared to the present situation in
Borno State and North East in extension.

Maidugiri (Borno State capital)  is one of Nigeria's  ancient cities. Borno state has a population of about 2,596,589 and is estimated worth $1,214 in per capita and $5,18 billion in total GDP according to purchasing power parity. Yet all these appear to count for nothing given the indecent activities of the Boko Haram sect.

According to a report by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) more than 50,000 children are at risk of dying of starvation in Borno if medical and nutritional attention is not granted them. This is because Borno State is  the state that has witnessed the worst of all Boko Haram attacks since 2011. To make matters worse more than 1.4 million people have been left homeless . It is therefore shameful that Nigeria's aid team has been unable to help as a result of severe mismanagement. Government have not helped as their services and agencies have inactive, as well as local farms destroyed by the insurgents. UNICEF hasn't been able to help as it has received only $23 million in aid out of the needed $55.5 million.

It is disappointing and appalling to be hearing news like this considering the abundant natural resources in the country which has not been put to proper use. At a time , the president of Nigeria hails from the north and should understand their plight, little or nothing has been done to remedy the situation apart from the field success recorded by the Nigerian military in the state and North East in general. At a time funds should be invested to educate and change the lives of these people so as to discourage them from such insurgent activity , the situation is far from it as propaganda and political campaign is the present order of the day.

As the National Assembly continues to pad the budget and procure brand new official cars coupled with the executive contributing in with excessive foreign trips which has cost millions in foreign currency.

Finally, the North East and Borno State in general deserve more than this inhuman treatment meted out to presently.