NGO’s Paid Us To Put Fire In IDPs Camps To Get Donations – Arrested Suspects Confesses

At least four suspects have been detained by the Borno Police Command for intentionally starting fires in the camps housing internally displaced people (IDPs) in Borno.

It was learned that 15 fire incidents have occurred in the last four years in Maiduguri, Monguno, Mafa, and Gubio.

These incidents have caused significant damage to the displaced people who have already endured the worst of the state’s 13-year insurgency, as well as fatalities.

Prior to SEMA blaming the IDPs for not being cautious against using fire while cooking, there was suspicion that the IDPs were lighting their camps on fire to draw attention from the government due to hunger and substandard living circumstances.

However, events took a different turn after three individuals were arrested on March 24, 2024, at around 1013 hours, during an attempt to set fire to a residence in the Mafa local government area.

Three of the suspects—Mallum Usman, Bulama Bukar Kuri, and Rawa Usman—were reportedly captured by one Bulama Mante and Baba Kachallah Dukje, a hunter from Mafa LGA, and turned over to the police.

They were trying to light a home on fire when they were apprehended with matches.

The group was responsible for a large number of the recurrent fire accidents in the state’s IDP camp, according to an initial assessment.

The suspects admitted that they were hired by a 40-year-old Muna IDP camp firewood dealer named Babagana Dikwa, who paid them N10,000 to start fires in various locations.

Additionally, they acknowledged their involvement in many fire incidents that were reported in the Muna, Gubio, and Monguno IDP camps. It is thought that by setting fire to the IDP camp, they will eventually amass unfathomable riches based on the destruction the fire causes.

Concurrently, an additional person was detained who was thought to be the source of the recent fire at the Monguno IDP camp.

The suspect, who surfaced in a widely shared video, said he was hired by two non-governmental organizations that provide humanitarian aid in Borno to set fire to the state’s camps housing internally displaced people.

The suspects, who were apprehended by the Civilian JTF, said that he was one of four individuals hired by the NGOs (names withheld) to carry out several arson attacks in various camps. After the job was completed, the NGOs paid the suspects N10,000.

In response, Borno Police Commissioner Yusuf Lawal stated that it was still unclear whether NGOs were involved despite confirming the arrest of four individuals who were presently detained at the Command’s criminal investigation sections.

According to Lawal, there were two incidents: one in Monguno, where a suspect was seen on camera asserting that two NGOs had hired him to commit arson, and another in Mafa, where three persons were taken into custody in relation to the same offense.

“We are yet to establish if the two incidents were related but those we arrested have already confessed that they were contracted by a fire wood seller in the Muna general area to set fire in places. We have arrested him and are currently undergoing investigation at the Crime Investigation Department,” he said. [CONTINUE READING HERE]