(Ecofin Agency) - Britain has reduced the amount of money given to Nigeria in humanitarian aid claiming that the government of Africa’s most populous country must step up and do more to stop attacks by Boko Haram. This is coming after an official visit by Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, and International Development Secretary, Priti Patel (photo), to the West African country.

The British government on Tuesday announced plans to grant a total of £200million in aid funding to Nigeria for four years (£50 million per year thus) starting from 2018 to 2022. On a yearly basis, the new commitment corresponds to half of the £100 million humanitarian support from the UK in 2017. Around £70million was provided in 2016.

The emergency aid money is aimed at saving lives and reconstructing parts of the country destroyed by Boko Haram. “My job isn't just to give aid and give money, my job is to make sure that money goes further and that we leverage that with the Nigerian government to make them step up and do more. It is catastrophic that at least 20,000 people have been murdered by Boko Haram’s terrorist regime, and over five million people have been left hungry and many homeless. Terrorism knows no borders and the Nigerian Government must now follow our lead to stop innocent people dying and securing the area so that people can rebuild their lives in,” Patel said in a statement.

Anita Fatunji