By Chioma Obinna & Victoria Ojeme

Participants at a two –day media dialogue on child nutrition have called on President Mohammadu Buhari and the 36 States Governors, to devote at least 5 percent of their security votes to tackle the heavy burden of malnutrition in the country.

Making the call weekend in Owerri, Imo State, the participants comprising nutritionists, media practitioners and academias noted that the country is currently under great threat posed by severe malnutrition which puts the lives of over 2.5 million innocent children on the line annually.

The participants called on the government to create a specific budget line for nutrition and ensure prompt release of funds.

According to UNICEF statistics, out of the 2.5 million Nigerian children suffering  from acute malnutrition if nothing is done urgently, 500,000 (20 percent) of these children will die.