Nigerian Children Dying In Refugee Camps

Dozens of Nigerian refugee children are dying in refugee camps in the country because their food aid is being stolen.

Allegedly, the food aid provided by various humanitarian organizations are being stolen by officials that work at the various refugee camps.

The government has also said that they are investigating these allegations.

According to Shaista Aziz, a spokesperson for Doctors Without Borders – who are doing work in the refugee camp – between 10 and 25% of the children in a typical 110-bed refugee camp are dying due to malnutrition.

The crux of the matter is that there is just not enough food or drinking water to feed these children.

Reporters visiting the refugee camps tell tales of extremely malnourished children in the feeding centres. They describe them as having “matchstick limbs” protruding ribcages and swollen bellies.

The refugees in the camps have also staged various protest against the food aid theft.

Angry and desperate mothers blocked the main highway linking Maiduguri – the Borno state capital –  to Kano city for five hours.

They were shouting and screaming at officials, saying that they have no drinking water and that their children are dying because of the lack of food aid.

In Maiduguri alone there are between 1.2 million and 2 million refugees.

Last month, Doctors Without Borders reported that 20 children – all under the age of 5 – died within one week in July alone.