By Victoria Ojeme, Gabriel Olawale & Gloria Orogun

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has revealed that about N44.1 billion (US$147 million) is required to prevent severe malnutrition in 450,000 children in North-East part of the country this year, even as it seeks $3.3 billion to cater for 48 million children living in the worst conflict areas globally.

In a statement made available to Vanguard yesterday, the organisation made an appeal for support, warning that in the three most affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa, thousands of children may come down with acute malnutrition in the near future if the required financial support is not made available.

AT RISK OF MALNUTRITION: A mother and her infant.

According to the UNICEF Director of Emergency Programmes, Manuel Fontaine, “Nigeria is one of the main countries of focus for the appeal.

“For our emergency response for children and families affected by the conflict in North-East Nigeria, UNICEF is seeking US$147 million.

“While the biggest individual appeal is on behalf of children and families caught up in Syria’s long-running conflict, for which UNICEF is seeking over US$1 billion for assistance, 48 million children living through some of the world’s worst conflicts and other humanitarian emergencies will benefit from UNICEF’s 2017 appeal, which was launched today (yesterday).”