Mafa fire renders 8,778 people homeless

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), GOALPrime Organisation Nigeria (GPON), has said that the fire disaster at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in the Government Girls Arabic Secondary School (GGASS) in Mafa LGA of Borno State has affected 1,501 shelters and 1,463 households, rendering an estimated 8,778 people homeless again. The Country Director of GPON, Dr […]

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), GOALPrime Organisation Nigeria (GPON), has said that the fire disaster at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in the Government Girls Arabic Secondary School (GGASS) in Mafa LGA of Borno State has affected 1,501 shelters and 1,463 households, rendering an estimated 8,778 people homeless again.

The Country Director of GPON, Dr Christopher Chinedumuije, disclosed this in Damaturu.

He said the incident resulted in the loss of essential personal items such as biometric cards, food ration cards and sanitation facilities, noting that two children were burnt to death and several others injured, with the fire’s origin undetermined but with investigation ongoing.

He added that GPON, in collaboration with the WASH Sector, RRM Working Group, UNICEF and Action Against Hunger, had provided improved WASH NFIs and shelter kits to the survivors.

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Dr Chinedumuije further disclosed that the organisation, through a partnership with UNICEF Nigeria, was rehabilitating 20 blocks of latrines and had completed the construction of nine others.

It would be recalled that on Friday, March 3, 2023, a fire broke out in the GGASS IDPs camp, causing a significant displacement of the IDPs and loss of property.

It was reported that six displaced communities within the camp and its host community were adversely affected.