On Monday, February 6, a late-morning fire razed about 200 houses at the unofficial section of the Muna Internally Displaced Persons' camp on the outskirts of Maiduguri, Borno State.
Eyewitnesses who were unable to determine the cause of the fire said it flared up and swept across the all-thatched houses by 11 a.m.
Because it is an unofficial camp, the population of the affected IDPs could not be immediately determined.
"I lost everything, including my three rooms, clothing, beds and beddings, and one sack of guinea corn," Modu Maina, 70, of Bale in Mafa Local Government Area, who has two wives and three children told the Media.
He estimated that the loss of his property due to the fire would cost him more than N100,000.
"My two rooms, beddings, and all food items were completely destroyed," Gubo Lawan, 60, who has a wife and six children, said. He couldn't, however, calculate the value of his losses.
"The fire destroyed my three rooms, two sacks of maize, and two grinding machines," Modu Malam Aja, 65, who has one wife and eight children said.
Aja estimated the cost of his property lost to fire at N300,000, including the two grinding machines each of which he said cost N50,000.
The fire, according to eyewitnesses, flared up at about 11am and lasted for about 15 minutes, with the aid of cold season wind.
The National Emergency Management Agency and other emergency responders would not comment on the incident due to the fact that it is an unofficial camp.