Abuja – The United States Government has released over 240 million U.S dollars in development and humanitarian assistance to countries in the Lake Chad Basin region.
This is contained in a statement issued by the U.S. Deputy Spokesperson Mr Mark Toner in Washington D.C and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.
The statement said that the fund would be used to provide assistance to conflict-affected populations and refugees, provision of psycho-social services, health facilities as wellas emergency education for children displaced by violence.
It said that U.S had also called for the immediate release, without preconditions, of all hostages held by Boko Haram.
The call is coming as Nigeria approach the second anniversary of the kidnapping of more than 200 Nigerian girls from their school in Chibok.
“The kidnapping of these young women, along with the kidnappings of countless others by Boko Haram, epitomizes this terrorist group’s depravity,” it said.
The statement reiterated the commitment of the U.S. government to assist the Nigerian government’s efforts to locate and bring home all those who had been kidnapped by Boko Haram with intelligence and advisory support. (NAN)