Urgent humanitarian help needed to fend off Nigeria famine

Global food security monitorssaid on Friday that Nigeria's Borno state was at increased riskof famine, with one study projecting the number of thoseaffected will rise to 115,000 in 2017 from 55,000 this year.

The northeastern state is the area worst hit by theseven-year Boko Haram insurgency that has killed 15,000 people
and uprooted more than two million during the Islamist militants'attempt to create a "caliphate" in the area.

The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC),which is backed by the UNand other aid agencies, issued a specialalert calling for urgent humanitarian action.

There is an elevated likelihood that famine is ongoing andwill continue.- Integrated Food Security Phase Classification

"There is an elevated likelihood that famine is ongoing andwill continue in the inaccessible areas of Borno State assumingconditions will remain similar or worse to those observed inBama and Banki towns from April to August of 2016," it said.

"The current response is insufficient to meet the very largeemergency assistance needs."

People displaced by conflict are worst affected, it said,adding that low crop production, disrupted livelihoods and financial crisis were also to blame.

Boko Haram ousted

Nigerian military forces backed by troops from neighbouringstates have in recent months ousted Boko Haram from most of anarea the size of Belgium that they controlled until early 2015,revealing thousands living in famine-like conditions.

The U.S.-based Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) has said at least 2,000 people may have died of famine inthe region this year, and the United Nations has said 75,000children could starve to death over the next few months if theydo not receive humanitarian assistance.

• Nigerian children 'clinging to life' as world ignores crisis

The IPC cited a report by the UN-backed Cadre Harmonise, aregional food security partnership that found 115,000 people inBorno state and more than 5,000 in Yobe state would be at riskfrom famine in the second half of 2017.

The FEWS NET study had confirmed the alarming situation andrevealed an ongoing elevated risk of famine that was likely tocontinue into 2017, the IPC statement said.