Residents of Muna Kumburi IDP camp in Maiduguri are outraged by firefighter’s allegation that they set the fire deliberately to get humanitarian aid.

Five children have lost their lives in two separate fires in internally displaced persons’ camps in Borno State this week.

Two children died in a fire that broke out on Tuesday, March 12, in the Muna Kumburi camp in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Three children died in a fire in a community camp at Gajiganna town in the Nganzai Local Government Area on Monday.

Residents of the Muna Kumburi camp reacted furiously to an allegation by a firefighter that people in the camp set the fire purposefully to get humanitarian aid.

The camp chairperson, Mustapha Abubakar, said he was appalled by the accusation and vehemently denied it.

“I heard some people are saying the fire was deliberately set by residents so that they would receive humanitarian assistance. Two children died in the blaze. How could anyone say that? Do people think humanitarian aid is more important than the lives of our children?

“The allegation is false and people should refrain from saying things like that. No one would deliberately set a fire just to get aid. No one would set a fire and allow their children to die in the blaze. Such accusations and allegations are – apart from being false – uncalled for and cruel.

“What kind of people do they think we are? Do they think we would allow our children to die just to get humanitarian aid. It’s preposterous.”

Abubakar said the fire had broken out at about 11am and had spread quickly in the strong wind. Two young children died in the blaze. At least 700 thatch houses and tents went up in smoke and hundreds of people lost all their possessions.

“We do not know what caused the fire. It’s possible that it was caused by an unattended kerosene stove but we do not know. Many people have only the clothes they were wearing at the time of the blaze. They are homeless. They have no shelters, no mattresses or mats. They are scrounging for food. The situation is dire. Humanitarian aid is desperately needed.”

A firefighter, who asked to remain anonymous, told RNI that there had been a number of fires that had broken out in displaced persons’ camps in Maiduguri.

On February 14 a fire razed more than 1,000 thatch houses and tents in Muna camp. Displaced residents lost all their possessions and were left homeless. The cause of the fire was not known.

The firefighter said he believed some fires in IDP camps were set deliberately.

“Often when we investigate the cause of the fires we do not find any valuables among the ashes. Sometimes when we arrive at the scene it is obvious that people have already removed their belongings. The houses and tents are empty. People’s goods are outside.

“It appears that in some instances the fires are set deliberately just so that residents will get aid from the government, non-governmental organisations, humanitarian agencies and philanthropists.

“There are many ways to draw the attention of the government and NGOs. They can voice their grievances on radio or television, they can approach newspaper outlets or they can even stage a peaceful demonstration as part of their constitutional rights – but they may not set an entire camp ablaze.

“I’m not saying that all the fires are set deliberately. In some cases people – even children – have died or been severely burnt in the blazes.

“I am appealing to IDPs to adhere to all the safety protocols and to take every precaution to prevent fires from breaking out, particularly at this time of the year when there are strong winds which conflagrate the fire so that it sweeps through the entire camp in a matter of minutes. When that happens it is difficult to get the fire under control and takes some time to extinguish it.”

Hamsatu Ali, whose house in Muna Kumburi went up in flames, told RNI that the fire was extremely frightening, especially the rate at which it had swept through the camp.

“I lost all my belongings. I have nothing left, no shelter, no food and no clothes. My children and I don’t have anything. We are fasting because it is Ramadan. And there is also a heatwave. May Allah have mercy on us.”

Ali Hassan said it had not been established what had caused the fire.

“My house and hundreds of others went up in smoke. The fire destroyed everything we owned. That this should happen during Ramadan is a disaster. We urgently need help from the government and humanitarian agencies. Hundreds of people are struggling. We lost everything in the blaze.”

Three young children died in a separate fire in a community camp in Gajiganna town in the Nganzai Local Government Area on Monday, March 11.

Modu Kodomi, a resident, said the fire broke out at about 11am.

“Three children aged about 10 or 11 died in the fire. It swept through the camp, destroying everything in its path. Many houses were destroyed and hundreds of people lost all their possessions.

“We are begging the Borno State government and humanitarian agencies to help us. We need food, shelters and clothes. We are homeless. We spend the day fasting under the scorching sun. At night we have to sleep in the open. We do not even have mattresses or mats. Even at night the heat is unbearable. The ground is hard and there are mosquitoes. Our women have no privacy.”

A third fire broke out in the Kaleri community IDP camp in the Damboa Local Government Area on Sunday, March 10.

Falmata Modu, a displaced woman, said it was lucky no one died or suffered burns.

She said she lost her home in the fire which began at about 2pm.

“Many houses and properties were destroyed. There are a lot of us that are now homeless. We were left without food and shelter. We are begging the government and NGOs to help us. We need clothes. We need food. We need shelters.

“It is especially difficult during the fast. The cost of living has soared. Food is extremely expensive so we cannot even buy anything to eat when we break the fast in the evening and before dawn. We are all suffering, but it is worse for our little children. All we can do is pray to Allah to give us strength.”

SHETTIMA LAWAN MONGUNO