At Stadium Camp, IDPs worry over leaking tents as heavy rains begin in Maiduguri
As the rains set in IDP worry over dilapidating shelter
Inmates of the Stadium IDP camp in Maiduguri, Borno state have said that much as hunger and inadequate food is still a problem, their biggest concern is how to survive the rainy season under leaking dilapidated tents.
Most of the shelter tents at the camp were provided by UNHCR while an international INGO called ACTED manages the camp alongside the Borno state emergency management agency (SEMA).
The Humanitarian Times reporter visited the camp on Wednesday where a random interview with some of the inmates, especially women revealed deep seated concern for the dilapidating tents not providing adequate shelter at night and inadequacy of food for some others.
Zarahu Ibrahim, a mother of six children said “the roofs of the tents are falling, the floor is soft and loose and can easily let flood water flow in when there is heavy downpour,” she said.
Ms Zarahu who hails from Baga town said the first heavy downpour in Maiduguri on Saturday left most of the surroundings flooded “even as some of the tents were enmeshed in a pool of water.”
Food is also a challenge for some of the inmates, especially those who do not have the meal card which they call SIM.
“Many of us have not been getting the food because we have no SIM and the ACTED people who used to give the food only give money for food to those with the SIM. We are left here in hunger without food to feed the children.
Water is also a scarce commodity for the IDPs at the Stadium Camp.
“The water is scarce here, and one has to keep a night vigil before one can get to fetch from the borehole. During the day we must buy from the vendors who push carts to deliver water to us,” said Zarahu.
Shettima Alhaji-Gana an IDP from Kukawa said he has been in the camp for about two years.
He also confirms that most of the tents have dilapidated and exposed occupants to being drenched when it rained.
“We normally encounter challenges of dilapidated and leaking roofs during the rains and this year would be even worse because the tents have deteriorated even more. But despite this we thank Governor Babagana Zulum for the good works he has been doing for the state. We beg him to kindly speed up returning us to our homes as soon as possible because we are tired of being in the camp.
He said their food ration normally comes through the WFP which “provides us the sum of N37,000 every month to buy food and feed our family,” he said.
Stadium IDP camp, one of the expansive in Borno state has a total population or 12,250 IDPs comprising 5929 children, 2857 women, 2337 men as well as 734 and 393 infants and elderly persons respectively was established on February 27, 2019 to ease congestion at Shettima Ali Monguno Teachers Village Camp, following the late 2018 and early attack by armed opposition group Baga and Kukawa towns.
