Inmates of Gubio Road IDP Camp, Maiduguri on Thursday protested over the shortage of food supplies and other relief items, which led to the blockage of Baga-Maiduguri and Gubio-Maiduguri entrances for several hours.
The Camp which has about 10,000 IDPs were pooled there from Gobio, Marte, Kukawa, Kala-Balge and Gwoza local government areas.
The IDPs, who thronged out into the two roads between morning and shortly before moon, unanimously demanded that they be returned to their communities, preferring to be killed there by Boko Haram than remain in the Maiduguri camp to be killed by hunger.
They alleged that they had not received food supplies over a period ranging from three to six months, chasing virtually all of them out to the streets to of Maiduguri to beg, alleging further that their camp union officials also shortchanged them of relief items.
Among those who spoke to Daily Trust, Zara Alhaji Dauda, a mother of seven, alleged that two of her children died of hunger. She added: “Hunger has killed several IDPs in the camp over the last six months.”
Agreeing with all who spoke to newsmen, Zara said: “We prefer to return to our respective home communities to be killed by Boko Haram than remain in the camp to be killed by hunger.”
Speaking to newsmen, NEMA Official in charge of food distribution to the camps, Commander Salisu Danjuma Manga, absolved NEMA of any blame over shortages of food supplies and relief items to the camp, disclosing that Gubio IDPs camp is under the responsibility of the World Food Programme (WFP).
He dismissed as doubtful that the IDPs stayed without food for 6 months, assuring, however, that NEMA would investigate the reasons for the protest and rush in assistance to the camp.
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