Cholera, Measles kill 70 in Taraba... Victims are refugees of Tiv extraction

Nigerians are not only losing their lives to Boko Haram and road accidents. Disease outbreaks are killing multitudes silently. About 70 people, mostly women and children, have lost their lives in an outbreak of cholera and measles in Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State.

The victims were refugees of Tiv extraction, who escaped from the violence in Wukari and other flash-points in the state. Many of them, among who were pregnant women, also died of malnutrition due to the appalling conditions in the camp.

During a press conference at the camp on Wednesday, spokesman for the refugees, Mr. Emmanuel Kegh, the people lacked basic amenities, such as potable water and toilets.

His words: “Since the outbreak of the communal violence in Taraba State that necessitated the creation of this camp, we have lost more than 70 people from the two child-killer diseases of cholera and measles and from malnutrition and unhealthy condition. We lack food in this camp and many of us have died of hunger.”

Kegh accused the Taraba State government of playing a lip service to the plight of the refugees, saying: “Life here in the camp can simply be described as hell on earth. We are not used to staying like this and depending on people’s goodwill for a living. We are farmers and we are use to feeding very well. It is not a funny experience seeing your children dying of hunger.

“When we first came in here around March, SEMA came and gave us relief materials, and later NEMA and people from the Defence Headquarters. Since then, no one has come here again. Even at that, the relief materials that reached us were very inadequate. The bulk of the materials were given to the Fulani. The authorities insisted that Fulani too were displaced and should be given the materials and the bulk of it was given to them.

“But go round and see. There is no where Fulani are displaced. They don’t have a refugee camp like us. They have even taken over our villages as their grazing zone and farmlands,” he added.

The spokesman then called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the crisis by providing adequate security for them to return to their farms and continue with their normal lives. He lamented the physical, moral and psychological damage the crisis had caused them.

The President, Christian Reform Church -Nigerian, Dr. Kaleb Ahima, in an interview with Punch accused the Taraba State government of playing lips service when people were dying in their hundreds.

He also questioned the integrity of the acting governor, Garba Umar, for accepting to collect peace award when people were still being killed in his state.