Several residents in Borno State, who have infiltrated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps designated for flood victims, have disclosed that they were compelled to do so due to the economic hardship ravaging the country. The residents, primarily women, revealed this during an interactive session with reporters in Maiduguri on Monday.
These residents, many of whom have been displaced by the recent floods but are not residing in official camps, expressed frustration over being excluded from food and cash relief distribution, despite their critical condition. According to them, the economic situation has become unbearable, leading to extreme measures to survive.
Aisha Kuda, one of the women who entered the camp at Ajilari Community Secondary School, said, “We are suffering from hunger; our children have started stealing due to poverty. Our girls are getting unwanted pregnancies because they are lured with money. That is why we are going there to get something to eat.”
Kuda further pleaded with the government for assistance, stating that their needs are just as urgent as those of the IDPs in the camps. Safiya Abdullahi, another affected resident, pointed out the unfairness of the situation. “Not everyone can stay in the camp because some have relatives who are not affected. This does not mean we should be exempted. We are hungry too.”
Abdullahi explained that despite being displaced by floods in Gwange, her family stayed with relatives in Wulari. However, when they attempted to receive aid at Bakassi camp during a visit from Governor Babagana Zulum, they were turned away because they were not officially camp residents.
Similarly, Hannah Johnson, a Maiduguri resident, criticized the exclusion of people affected by the flood but not residing in camps. “Even though churches like Dunamis and Apostle Suleiman’s church have donated to the camps, some of us who decided to stay out of the camp are being removed from the list of beneficiaries. This is uncalled-for.”
Governor Zulum had previously alleged the infiltration of camps by individuals not directly affected by the flood, leading to stricter regulations on aid distribution. He has since directed the closure of camps operating in schools to allow the resumption of academic activities across the state.
The residents continue to plead for government intervention, emphasizing that their exclusion from relief efforts leaves them in dire straits, as they too are grappling with the aftermath of the flood and the country’s worsening economic conditions.
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