Updated

Nigeria's National Emergency Management Agency says 3 million people are suffering from the Islamic uprising with a quarter million people made homeless in the northeast of the country just this year.

It says an assessment of the three affected states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa shows children, elderly people and women are most affected.

The government agency has provided relief goods but says needs increase daily and asks for help.

A statement posted online Thursday says the statistics apply only for January to March. The U.N. refugee agency estimates 470,000 people are displaced in the country and another 30,000 have sought refuge in neighboring countries since the uprising began four years ago.

Thousands have been killed and tens of thousands of farmers driven from their land.