United Nations, agencies and nongovernmental organisations under the aegis of the Regional Refugee Response Plan, RRRP, have launched an urgent appeal to raise $174.4 million to assist 192, 000 people fleeing Boko Haram insurgency in northern Nigeria, who have fled to neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.

The inter-agency RRRP is a collaboration between the International Organisation for Migration, 10 UN agencies and 12 nongovernmental organisations.

A press release issued by the body in Senegal on Thursday said urgent assistance needs to get to 74, 000 Nigerians in Cameroon, 18, 000 in Chad and a mixture of 100, 000 Nigerians and returning Nigeriens in Niger.

The statement also said despite the successful conduct of a presidential election won by Muhammadu Buhari, which has helped to raise hope of peace in the troubled North east, continuous attacks have caused more people to flee their homes, especially in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States, with an estimated 1.2 million people so far displaced in the country.

“While this regional appeal for the Nigeria situation presents the needs of 23 UN agencies and non-governmental organizations to help the refugees, it also seeks support to assist host communities in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

“They have been receiving refugees for the past two years, mostly in remote and underdeveloped border areas, and have generously shared their meager resources. The host communities are now also in dire need of assistance,” the statement read.