No less than 14 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) were feared killed
in Gambouru/Ngala inferno in Borno state.
The IDP camp fire also destroyed 1,250 makeshift shelters, forcing
displaced persons to refuge in host community of Ngala border town
with Cameroon.
Confirming incident Friday in an interview in Maiduguri with Dr.
Zainab Gimba, representing Bama/Ngala/Kalabalge federal constituency,
she said: “Fifteen persons sustained various degrees of injuries,
while property including foodstuffs were destroyed in Thursday’s fire
outbreak.”
She disclosed that dozens of households in the camps were displaced
during the fire outbreak.
“Over 50 per cent of the IDP camp was gutted by the evening fire,” she
said, noting that the inferno has further compounded the plights of
13, 433 IDPs.
Her words: “I wish to sincerely sympathize with the victims of today’s
fire disaster..
“I am deeply shocked and touched. For those that lost their loved
ones, please accept my heartfelt condolences, for those that sustained
injuries, I wish them quick recovery.
“I am also mindful of the fact that the next few weeks will be
difficult because it is not easy to be an IDP and homeless at the same
time, but very soon, I will send relief materials to cushion their
hardships.”
She therefore, urged the Northeast Development Commission (NEDC),
State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), NEMA, and UN Humanitarian
Organisation to come to the aid of fire victims.
Chairperson of SEMA, Hajiya Yabawa Kolo described the incident as unfortunate.
She noted that it came at a time when the state was faced with other
humanitarian challenges of preventing COVID-19 pandemic.
According to her, a team of the agency would conduct on the spot
assessment to ascertain level of damages incurred from inferno.
She said the outcome of assessment will determine level of immediate
humanitarian support to IDP fire victims.
While speaking on camps’ fire preventive measures, she said: “The
Agency would adopt proactive measures to prevent future recurrences of
infernos in Borno state.”
