Camp officials and Civilian Joint Task Force members are accused of having sex with young girls desperately seeking to survive in IDP camps in the north east of Nigeria.

Parents, rights activist have decried the increase in violence against women particularly IDPs in the various camps in Borno State.

A 16 years old Falmata Alhaji Mai from Kachamai IDP camps in Maiduguri while speaking to Radio Ndarason International said sex for survival has become commonplace in the camp due to endemic poverty and hunger.

Falmata said, “just yesterday, a man dressed decently followed me to a wash borehole where we fetch water, he told me that I was invited to come alone with him to a wedding party of his friend, I said no I cannot follow you, but he insisted he will buy me a new dress, shoes, veil and he will provide my transport fare if I come alone with him” Falmata added.

Falmata continued that many of her friends were victims of sex for survival, some were impregnated and gave birth to children while others had abortions. She said the majority of the IDP girls want to be in a relationship with security personnel working in the camps because this will pave the way for them to get food easily during food distributions, as the security personnel are usually in charge of queues.

Bintu Abubakar, a mother of six said it is very difficult for parents residing at IDP camps to look after their children properly because of the overcrowded nature of the IDP camps. She added that, sometimes, parents cannot correct their child from wrongdoings, especially when they depend on their children for food and other essentials.

Aishatu Bulama Kabu Damboa of the Girl Child, Women and Youth Support Initiatives has strongly condemned the act of exploiting girl children sexually, noting that as an organisation, they receive more complaints than ever before. She appealed to government and non-governmental organisations to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice. She also the raised alarm on how unsafe abortion lead to the death of many young girls particularly in the IDP camps.