Fire Erupts In Borno Displacement Camp
The fire has destroyed dozens of tents containing the IDPs’ personal belongings, leaving them in desperate need of relief assistance.
Galmeri Internally Displaced People (IDP) camp in Maiduguri, Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, was ravaged by fire early on Wednesday, destroying scarce resources belonging to people fleeing the Boko Haram insurgency.
With an estimated population of about 5,000 displaced persons, the IDP camp is located near Custom House IDP camp along Gamboru Ngala road in Maiduguri, the state capital.
According to eyewitnesses, the incidence was caused by a prolonged sandy winter wind that has sparked fire disasters in the past. The fire could not be controlled due to the camp’s narrow street paths; burning down tents after tents.
The tent accommodated IDPs from Marte, Mafa and Dikwa Local Government Areas, where local officials used to embark on massive public enlightenment on preventing fire disasters during such windy winter periods. But since the IDPs were driven out of their homes by the insurgency a couple of years ago, such enlightenment campaigns have comparably diminished.
The insurgency has displaced close to two million people from their homes and has also led to over 30,000 deaths, leading to a vast humanitarian crisis.
The IDPs live in overcrowded tents of multiple households per tent with inadequate privacy and poor living conditions, insufficient food, water and sanitation.
The fire has destroyed dozens of tents containing the IDPs’ personal belongings, leaving them in desperate need of immediate relief assistance. There were no local officials to comment on the incident when our reporter visited the scene.
Immediate shelter, food, clothing, mats and blankets are what the victims need immediately, according to several victims that spoke to HumAngle.
Support Our Journalism
There are millions of ordinary people affected by conflict in Africa whose stories are missing in the mainstream media. HumAngle is determined to tell those challenging and under-reported stories, hoping that the people impacted by these conflicts will find the safety and security they deserve.
To ensure that we continue to provide public service coverage, we have a small favour to ask you. We want you to be part of our journalistic endeavour by contributing a token to us.
Your donation will further promote a robust, free, and independent media.
Donate Here
