More than 2m displaced by insurgency in Nigeria’s North-East – EU

The new Head of Delegation for the European Union (EU) in Nigeria, Ms. Samuela Isopi, said on Monday over two million people were displaced from their homes in the North-East.

The envoy stated this at the premiere of “HOPE,” a documentary film sponsored by the EU.

HOPE, which was created by Factstory, a subsidiary agency of the Agence France-Presse (AFP), was based on the ravaging effects of insurgency on displaced populations in Northern Nigeria.

Isopi said she was happy about the premiere of the documentary, adding it was her first official event since she presented her Letters of Credence to President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday morning.

She said: “I’m proud that this premiere presents my very first official and public event as Ambassador of the EU to Nigeria after presenting my Letter of Credence to President Buhari this morning.

READ ALSO: 305,000 Nigerians are now refugees, 2.1m internally displaced —US report

“The film HOPE tells us about the challenges that the residents of the North-East faced in their daily lives of which their sources of income were destroyed by the insurgency.

“A decade after the start of the insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria, the region is still suffering from the loss of lives and property, food insecurity, and a very poor standard of living.

“More than two million remain displaced from their homes, while hundreds of thousands are living in over-crowded displacement sites without proper access to sanitation and clean water.

“More than three million people have food insecurity and an equally high number of children are suffering from acute malnutrition. The number of out-of-school children has also increased exponentially.”

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