Abuja: The United Nations (UN) has sounded the alarm over what it calls an "unprecedented" hunger crisis in northern Nigeria, with analysts estimating that at least 5 million children are experiencing acute malnutrition. This situation arises despite the region's historical role as the nation's agricultural heartland, known for producing staples like maize, millet, and sorghum.

According to Deutsche Welle, in northeastern Nigeria, particularly in Borno State, over one million individuals are facing hunger. Margot van der Velden, the Western Africa Regional Director for the World Food Programme (WFP), highlighted that nearly 31 million Nigerians are struggling with acute food insecurity, in need of life-saving assistance, as financial support for West and Central Africa dwindles.

Samuel Malik, a senior researcher at Good Governance Africa, argues that the core issue stems from poor governance and long-standing insecurity rather than diminishing aid. Malik emphasizes that while aid is crucial in mitigating severe food insecurity, it was never meant to be a comprehensive or permanent solution.

In the face of insecurity, villagers have been compelled to leave their homes for safer areas like the Ramin Kura displacement camp in Sokoto, northwestern Nigeria. Umaimah Abubakar, a 40-year-old from Ranganda village, shared her story of fleeing after bandits killed her husband and stole her family's livestock. She explained how bandit attacks have prevented farming, leading to widespread food scarcity in her community.

In Gurnowa, Borno State, near the Lake Chad region, a mass exodus has taken place following jihadist attacks. Residents have relocated to makeshift camps in Monguno under military protection, joining tens of thousands of internally displaced people. The UN reports that violence in the region has resulted in over 40,000 deaths and displaced more than two million people over the past 16 years.

Malik points to the Nigerian state's failure to provide security and governance as a persistent driver of the crisis. Displaced individuals are unable to return to their farmlands, cutting them off from their livelihoods. This issue is exacerbated by the broader insecurity affecting the region, with Boko Haram militants in the northeast and banditry plaguing the northwest and north-central areas.

Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has urged displaced individuals to return to their farms ahead of the rainy season. However, local governments and aid agencies express concern over the continued threat of jihadist violence. Some displaced people claim that joining terrorist groups offers a better chance of survival amidst the hunger crisis.

In Sokoto's Ramin Kura displacement camp, 19-year-old Shaafa Usman recounted how her community faced kidnappings while attempting to farm. Malik observed that in areas under jihadist control, farming continues only under coercive arrangements dictated by non-state actors, leading to exploitative conditions.

Jihadist groups have facilitated some subsistence farming to sustain themselves, supplemented by raiding and illicit income. Usman noted that many villagers no longer visit their farms due to the risk of kidnapping and the inability to afford ransom.