The European Commission has provided €21m (about N4.7bn) to support Boko Hram victims in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

This is contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the EU Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides.

The statement said, “More than 1.7 million people have been displaced by the terror of Boko Haram. Many of them live in precarious conditions in other parts of Nigeria or the neighbouring countries where they have fled.

“Meeting some of them, I saw with my eyes the immense needs that the conflict is causing among civilians. We are stepping up our humanitarian response to the call of those in greatest need.”

Expressing concern over lack of humanitarian access to the people who needed help, Stylianides added that there were restrictions of access in many areas, including along the Lake Chad region.

He stressed on the importance of ensuring that humanitarian organisations reach out to those who actually need help.

He noted that the new EU funding would provide immediate support, including clean water, food, shelter, health care and protection for the displaced and the host communities in the North-East, as well as to Nigerian refugees in neighbouring countries.

“Of this funding, €12.5m will be used to tackle the humanitarian challenges in Nigeria, and €8.5m is for the support of refugees in Niger, Cameroon and Chad,” the EU commissioner explained.

The EU said the new aid must be treated as top priority following the growing vulnerability of people affected by food insecurity and malnutrition throughout Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

DAILY POST recalls that a large number of Nigerians from the North Eastern region and neighbouring towns as well as villages of other countries have abandoned their homes due to constant attacks from the insurgents group who have vowed to dethrone Nigerian leadership and those of other neighbouring African countries.