The Borno State Police Command has reported the arrest of three internally displaced persons (IDPs) for allegedly trying to set a house ablaze at a camp in Mafa Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement on Thursday, Nahum Kenneth, police spokesperson in the state, said the suspects were apprehended by a hunter group in the area.
Kenneth said the suspects were paid N10,000 by one Babagana Umar, a firewood seller in Maiduguri, the state capital, to carry out the act.
“On the 24th March 2024 at about 1030HRS, hunter group of Mafa reported to Mafa division with 3 suspects, Malum Usman 16yrs, Bulama Bukar 14yrs, Rawa Usman 11yrs all of Mafa IDP camp that suspects were arrested with matches while trying to set a house ablaze in the camp,” the statement reads.
“Preliminary investigation further revealed that the trio were sponsored by one Babagana Umar a firewood seller at Muna garage area Maiduguri who contracted them to commit the act at the rate of N10,000.”
The police spokesperson added that the case is under investigation.
Meanwhile, Usman Tar, commissioner for information and internal security in Borno, said in a statement that the state government received a report in which a suspect confessed to being sponsored by some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to burn down IDP camps.
Tar said the government has commenced an investigation into the case, adding that the NGOs mentioned have been summoned for interrogation.
“On 29 March 2024, the Ministry of Information and Internal Security received a report in which a suspect admitted that he and his “co-conspirators” were “hired” by some NGOs (names withheld) to set IDP camps on fire,” the statement reads.
In recent weeks, cases of fire outbreaks have been reported in some displaced persons camps in Borno.
In March, three persons, including children were confirmed dead after a fire gutted an IDP camp at the Muna Alambari area of Borno.
