For nearly a decade, displaced residents of Borno State found shelter in various IDP camps, primarily located in Maiduguri, after fleeing the devastation wrought by the Boko Haram insurgency. Many of them, unable to eke a living have resorted to Biri Gamda, a type of feed for animals for sustenance.
Biri Gamda, derived from Kanuri language, describes a type of feed typically used to fatten domestic animals. It is made from tuwo, a solid meal made from rice, maize, or millet flour, then sun-dried into hard morsels.
Traditionally reserved for livestock, Biri Gamda has become a staple for IDPs in the Shuwari resettlement site of Jere, Borno State. Scarce resources have made it difficult to afford decent food, leading them to purchase sacks of Biri Gamda from Maiduguri’s customs market vendors.
Weeks ago, Nigeria’s Honourable Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Edu Betta visited and inspected the Shuwari and promised to intervene and help the residents switch to a better lives.
During her tour, Edu encountered a sick child among the 900 households visited and immediately directed the medical personnel in her entourage to get the child to the nearest hospital for treatment. She handed relief materials which included hundreds of mattresses, pillows, blankets, footwear, wrappers, and treated Insecticide mosquito nets.
The scale of want has persisted for at least three months. One kilogram of Biri Gamda sells for N250 (approximately 35 cents). To feed a family of ten, two kilograms suffice for dinner, but the rations hardly satisfy hunger. Desperate IDPs resort to recooking Biri Gamda, while those with fewer means snack on it like biscuits. Some, unable to afford even this, wait for leftovers provided by compassionate sellers.
In their desperation, Borno’s IDPs have turned to Karasu, the leaves of a flowering plant. Cooked without the usual spices and proteins, Karasu offers a semblance of sustenance.
Compounding their struggles, the Borno State government closed the farm centre displacement camp in December 2021, depriving many at the Shuwari site of regular humanitarian aid. Frequent attacks and abductions by Boko Haram further hinder their access to farmland and sources of livelihood.
Resettled IDPs across the state face similar challenges, from food scarcity to insecurity and the absence of essential services like education and healthcare.