In one of the videos made available to SaharaReporters, Umar said, “This is another camp we visited in Gusau, where more than 30 women squat in a single room with their children.”
More than 30 displaced women and children are being forced to squat in a single room at an informal internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The dire conditions were exposed by a lawyer, Mubashir Umar, who visited several displacement sites across Gusau and shared videos documenting the living conditions of victims of bandit attacks.
In one of the videos made available to SaharaReporters, Umar said, “This is another camp we visited in Gusau, where more than 30 women squat in a single room with their children.”
“Over 30 women and girls are crammed in a single room in this IDP camp,” he added.
The footage also captured displaced persons narrating their ordeals following violent attacks on their communities by terrorists.
According to Umar, during a visit to a temporary refugee site at Yan-Kaji, Tasion Magayi, in Gusau, a male victim recounted how he and others were abducted while harvesting beans.
He said, “I had just come into the town when terrorists kidnapped us while we were harvesting beans. We have been here for one month and two weeks. Although ransom was paid to the kidnappers, they refused to release us.
“They said it was their rule that anyone they kidnap must spend either 60 or 100 days with them before release.”
A displaced woman described the abuse suffered by women in captivity, saying: “They beat and rape women all the time. It is very painful and disheartening.”
Another woman appealed for assistance, explaining that her husband remains in the custody of the kidnappers despite paying a ransom.
“Please, help us. My husband is still with the kidnappers. They killed my son, and we are suffering greatly. Despite paying almost ₦20 million, they refused to release my husband. They said they will not release him now,” the distraught woman said.
In another video, a woman holding her infant was seen crying as she spoke about her missing husband and lack of food.
“We have not seen my husband since they attacked our community. My baby and I have nothing to eat,” she said.
Umar blamed the worsening humanitarian situation on the absence of government-run displacement camps in the state.
He said: “Do you know there has never been an official IDP Camp provided by the Zamfara State government since the beginning of the crisis up till today.
“The victims stay mostly in an open place, sometimes markets, and resort to begging as their means of survival daily.”
Umar further stated: “Check, no official IDP camp ever provided by state government in the whole 14 local government areas in the state. In fact, the victims only stay in primary school buildings, uncompleted buildings, and anywhere they find it easy to access.”
He noted that one of the buildings currently housing some of the displaced persons does not belong to the government.
“This house where they are currently staying belongs to private individuals who have no direct relation to any of the victims but for the sake of humanity,” he said.
Zamfara State has been one of the epicentres of banditry in Nigeria’s North-West, with thousands displaced from their homes amid repeated attacks, killings and mass abductions.