Blazes fanned by wind have killed an infant and razed down makeshift tents belonging to families displaced by insurgents at customs camp along Mafa road, Maiduguri, Borno State on Tuesday.
An eyewitness said the first incident occurred at 7:30 am at a section of the camp and the fire was smothered immediately.
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He said: “Another fire at about 1 pm broke out and gutted tents at different locations in the camp.”
An infant was burnt beyond recognition while two adults sustained burns in the incidents, the witness explained.
In all, a total of 620 shelters were reportedly burnt by the fires which were separately put out jointly by security personnel and federal and state firefighters.
The acting Zonal Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, (NEMA) North East Zone, Maiduguri, Ishaya Chinoko, who confirmed the incidents, said initial needs assessment has been conducted in collaboration with the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (BOSEMA) and other humanitarian partners and that shelter was identified as being the most pressing need of the victims.
“Relief would soon be provided to the affected victims,” he said.
The camp had a total of 14,250 displaced persons from three local government areas of Dikwa, Mafa and Bama, the coordinator said.
