How we survive outside IDPs camps – Borno youths

Some youths displaced by Boko Haram insurgents, who chose not to stay at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, have said they engage in hard labour and hawking in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to make ends meet on a daily basis. 40-year-old Abubakar Umar, who was seen splitting firewood with an axe at Kasuwan Shanu, […]

Some youths displaced by Boko Haram insurgents, who chose not to stay at Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps, have said they engage in hard labour and hawking in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, to make ends meet on a daily basis.

40-year-old Abubakar Umar, who was seen splitting firewood with an axe at Kasuwan Shanu, said he was displaced from Barawa village in Gwoza Local Government Area of the state, adding that it is better to use his strength to feed than live in any displaced persons’ camp.

Umar said, “Splitting firewood is a legitimate means of earning a living with dignity. I make from N2,000 to N5,000 per day, depending the quantity of firewood. Sometimes I make up to N8,000 if we get a contract to fell a tree as a team. Between three and five persons charge up to N20,000 to fell a tree. Sometimes we get like N7,000. We cut it into smaller sizes.

“I have spent almost eight years in this job; and I am happy that Allah blessed me with it as a source of livelihood. No one owes me money. It is better than cheating, stealing or buying things on credit. It is good to find something legitimate to do to earn a living.

“I make a lot of money from cutting firewood. I am comfortably taking care of my family and other needs. I have a wife and eight children, and all of us get food and essential items. I also pay house rent and the school fees of my children without much stress. 

“I thank God for giving me the health and strength to do this job. The only thing I need is a good axe. It is good to use your good health to generate income and train your children to become good members of the society.” 

He continued; “I started this job after Boko Haram raided our village and we moved to Maiduguri as refugees. We did not allow that unfortunate incident to kill our mindset. Sometimes, if the job is not forthcoming as a result of scarcity of firewood, I also engage in bricklaying and any other hard labour to feed my family. This job has helped me in many capacities. 

 

“My major target is to raise capital for a more profitable business because, as I am growing older, I need to have a better means of livelihood.”

Corroborating Umar’s story, another displaced person from Barawa, Ibrahim Musa said, “We decided not to stay at the IDP camp because we didn’t want our hearts and morals to die. That’s why we formed a team and our leader resolved to venture into firewood trade. From there, he started loading it in trucks to the abattoir section of Kasuwan Shanu.

“When we joined the business, I and my colleague used to get between N700 and N1,000 per day. Gradually, the profit kept increasing while other opportunities emerged, such as loading firewood in trucks and trailer. Thirty minutes ago, our boss travelled to Bauchi to source for firewood because there are not many forests in Borno. The places we get firewood from are Buni Yadi and Bauchi.”

“We want to return home, but the security situation is not conducive, so we are praying that government would defeat the insurgents so that we can go home and continue our major source of livelihood, especially farming and rearing livestock.

“We make efforts to pay school fees for our children because we cannot allow them to grow without good education. We also pay little revenue to officials of the market,” Musa said.

Also, a 30-year-old man, Muhammed Haruna Arawa, who was displaced from Pege in Gwoza Local Government Area and now hawking cow meat at Kasuwan Shanu as a means of livelihood, told Daily Trust on Sunday that he preferred making efforts to feed himself than beg or depend on someone else. 

He said, “We the people of Gwoza are not used to idleness, begging or thuggery and other forms of cheating or stealing. The youths are trained to fend for themselves through any legitimate trade. Majority of us are farmers and butchers, but the activities of Boko Haram displaced us from our ancestral homes and we decided to embrace this trade to earn a living. We cannot sit down waiting for someone to give us money or food.

“We buy from 10 kilograms of cow meat. And sometimes we come together and buy 200 kilograms and share among ourselves every day to sell. I make between N2,000 and N3,500 a day, depending on sales. 

“Our parents had told us that it is better to die than steal, so no matter how small or inferior the business is, it is better than stealing. And God has given us good health and strength to do any kind of legitimate job.  You don’t need to wait for anyone, you should struggle for your need. If not because of insurgents, nothing else would have forced us to abandon our farming activities. Farming is more profitable, and we were doing it with ease.”

Furthermore, a 38-year-old Saleh Abubakar, who was a butcher in his village before he was displaced said, “I have made a lot of money from this trade. I got married and have four children.  I have been selling meat in Kasuwan Shanu for over 9 years. It is through this daily struggle that I feed my family and pay house rent, as well as the school fees of my children. 

“Those of us from Gwoza believe that the sweat of other people would not benefit us; that is why we work to earn a living. We believe it is better you kill us than to steal someone’s property. We prefer to fend for ourselves and take care of our families. 

“We want to go back to our ancestral homes because opportunities there are many. We plead with the Borno State Government to secure our areas so that we can return home,” Abubakar said.

Musa Usman, 28, who hails from Bayan Dutse in Gwoza, also said, “It is a disgrace for us to bring yourself down and beg fellow human beings to feed. As a healthy young man I make between N1,500 and N4,000 per day. I use the proceeds of my struggle to pay house rent and the school fees of my children.

“We came from agrarian communities, but the security situation compelled us to take refuge in Maiduguri. We pray and hope to return to our ancestral land soon. Let the government provide the security that would enable us to go back home and continue our farming activities. We know the present administration is working towards taking displaced victims of Boko Haram back home. We are ready to return.”

Another displaced person, 47-year-old Adam Muhammad, who was a fisherman in his village but now selling dry grasses at Kasuwan Shanu, said he had no option than to engage in cutting grasses from the bush and selling to traders and farmers rearing cows in Maiduguri. 

“I do this job during both rainy and dry seasons. I make between N1,000 and N2,000 per day, depending on sales. However, sometimes when we witness poor sales, we get N500 per day.

“We used to go to Chad to catch fish and sell in Doron Baga, but the activities of Boko Haram insurgents displaced us from the trade. Although some people have started returning to Baga, I did not return due to the fear that the security situation has not improved; but God willing, if peace is restored I will go back and continue my life. It was that condition that forced me to do this job.

“I have a wife and seven children now at Fulaburin Alajeri. I feed my family, pay house rent and the school fees of my children. I am grateful to Allah for sparing my life and giving me good health to go out every day into some farmlands east of Maimalari Barracks to cut grasses for free and bring to the market. Farmers rearing cows and horses are patronising us. This job has been taking care of my family and personal income for the past four years,” Muhammad said.