No food, no water and no money – the New Year does not look good for those stranded in internally displaced persons’ camps of Maiduguri, who are still waiting for the promised government payout.
To evacuate the state-run IDP camps by December 31, the government had agreed to give men, widows and divorced people US$200 and US$100 to married women. They could use the money to return to their villages or to rent accommodation in Maiduguri or elsewhere.
A delay in processing the distribution of the money has meant the IDPs are allowed to remain in the camps until they are paid. But the residents say they have nothing to live on.
In Teachers camp, orphan Ya Bintu pleaded with the government to help her: “I’m in serious trouble because my parents died and I have had to care of my five siblings. Our food is finished, there’s no safe water and no money. We are suffering. The government must give us the money quickly.”
An IDP man, originally from Kukawa, said there were hundreds of people from Kukawa and about 62 from Gamboru Ngala in the camp who still have not received the payout.
“We have been queueing since yesterday [Thursday, December 30] waiting for the officials to come and settle the payment so that we can leave. But they did not come and they have not come today. We are suffering with no money to buy food. We want to leave the camp but we can’t afford to. We have to just sit and wait for the government,” he said.
It had been more than 10 days that the residents had been waiting for the cash, he said. “We are all hungry but we don’t have money to buy food. Once we are paid we will return to our communities. Instead, here we are sitting and suffering. We are stranded.”
Ibrahim Modu, an IDP originally from Doron Baga, a town close to Lake Chad, said: “The officials came to tell us about the closing of the camps and they told us we would get a payout. And we have not seen them since. There are a lot of women who need help. They say that even if they cannot find a place to stay in Baga, they would still rather return to the community even if they have to sleep under a tree.”
Fanna Abba, also originally from Doron Baga, said: “Some among us got their money and have left already. But we are here stranded and with all our foodstuff finished. We are told that the distribution of the cash has been delayed. There are about 400 of us here and the deadline has come and gone. It is most unpleasant in the camp; we are all hungry and living in poverty. We are worried about our children because they have to beg outside camp to bring us something to eat.”
