Loss of lives in N’East could hit 1.1million by 2030 – UNDP

The United Nations has predicted that with another decade of continued conflict in three states of the North-East; Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, death toll may rise to over 1.1 million.

This was made known in the executive summary of a report published on the website of the United Nations Development Programme titled, ‘Assessing the impact of conflict on development in North- East Nigeria’.

The executive summary read, “According to national data, conflict has directly resulted in the deaths of 35,000 people in the BAY (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe) states as a result of battle or one-sided violence since 2009.“However, the full human cost of war is much greater.

Already, many more have died from the indirect effects of the conflicts.“We estimated that by the end of 2020, the conflict would have resulted in 350,000 deaths with 314,000 of those from indirect causes.“These deaths are the results of the conflicts’ physical and economic effects.

Insecurity has led to decline in agricultural production and trade reducing access to food.

With another decade of conflict, that could grow to more than 1.1 million deaths.”According to the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, despite the Federal Government’s efforts to end insurgency in the affected areas, it (government) has limited success in ending the insecurity.