Children in Bauchi IDP camp reportedly feed on onion leaves to survive

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the children, between the ages of three and five, looked pitiful as they consume the leaves.

Some parents who spoke to NAN at the camp about their situation they had to ‘find ways to tackle hunger because there wasn’t enough food at the camp.

The parents said they believed that onion leaves were nutritious and could protect their children from hunger and disease. 

Aisha Musa, one of the parents told NAN that children and adults in the camp had been struggling to survive for the past one year.

Another parent, Ajidda Ahmed, said the hardship at the IDP camp was too much adding that most of them had given up any hope of living a normal life. NAN reports.

She said; “Both adults and children suffer from hunger; this has resulted in forcing us to eat raw onion leaves from sellers that come into the camp.

“Rainy season is about to set in and another fear is the outbreak of childhood diseases. Because for the past year, our children were not immunised and there are no water, sanitation and hygiene facilities.

“We defecate in the bush and the rainwater will soon wash our faeces back to the stream, where we source for water to drink,”

However, the leader of the IDP camp, Bulama Gojja while commenting on the situation said there are over 200 people of the Shuwa-Arab stock from Marte, Marfa and Jere local governments of Borno State in the camp. He said they were forced to relocate to the camp because of the activities of Boko Haram Insurgents. 

Gojja also said that in 2018, no fewer than 20 pregnant women delivered in the camp without the required attention.

The IDP camp leader added that despite their effort to draw sympathy over their plight, assistance is not coming from anywhere. 

Recall that in January 2019, Internally Displaced Persons in Bauchi accused the state government officials of diverting 11 trucks of food items meant for them.

Chairman of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Buba Musa Shehu in an interview with Daily Post published in January 16, 2019 said he learnt that the state government was diverting their food items through NEMA and SEMA to undisclosed destination.