WHY RU?
WHY RU?
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In 2020, we began investigating issues of sexual exploitation and trafficking with a focus on illegal migration. We discovered that a lot of women and underage girls in vulnerable situations were susceptible to exploitation due to a lack of essential needs.
It became important to investigate the experiences of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as this group of persons are found to be in a vulnerable situation and with a high need for support and protection.
IDPs may have little or no knowledge of the rights they possessed, so exchanging sexual favours in return for essential supplies may seem a good deal to a number of them.
We conducted an environmental assessment and selected eleven IDPs between the ages of 11-18 to share their lived experiences at the camp.
Below are some of the excerpts from the interview.
(Note: to protect the identities of the people we work with, we are not using real names or faces to share our findings.
Rural, Urban Rightful -
Rural, Urban Rightful -
RU
RU
Larita
not real name
I was schooling as at then I was in primary six(6), I go to the village subsequently to do menial jobs from where I get funds to pay fees, before the crisis came and we had to leave the village to Daudu for safety, as at then we were staying in people’s houses and we were so uncomfortable there, we now knew an IDP camp would be built in Daudu until a day, people mobilised each other and built local mud houses and were staying inside together.
Subsequently, better houses were built for us to stay inside leaving the mud house because rainfall was a set back to the local mud houses.
Most times materials that are given to support us in the camp are been kept in the office of the officials in the camp and it’s not being distributed, some officials even take these items out and give them to people related to them, we prefer when those items are being shared amongst us by those who bought them. The most likely trick the camp officials use, when such items arrive is telling us to return to our various blocks (rooms) and that they will move around each block to distribute the items to each and every one of us within the camp. At the end of the day, these items are stored and packed in their various offices. Those who bought the items should insist on and ensure the items are being shared using their own modality.
Since the introduction of cards in the camping system, some men, officials insist you must have an affair with them for you to be able to keep the card, and when you tend to refuse their proposal they will decline to give you the card. It has happened to me, I told a camp officer no and he declined to give me the card. At times when I get an alternative means of getting the card, he goes to the extent of reaching out to them telling them to decline in giving me the card for reasons I don't know. I told those charged with the distribution of the cards but they were so busy and occupied and had no time to attend to my complaints. Without the card, we can not get the things people give to us. I have tried other reporting means but most times the officials are too busy or absent on the camp.
My future ambition is to be a lawyer and also venture into a good and profitable business.
Adunni
not real name
I was going to school, my parents were in the village, I would travel home whenever there was a holiday, but there was a crisis in my home town, so we now live in the IDP camp. The project for bringing food, that's the Red - Cross, when those ones bring food, they share according to each individual, but when the others bring food and give to the leadership of the camp to share, they pack the food and give to their own people based on favouritism, while some of us will get nothing. There are some people (officials) in the camp that when you go to them for help, they wouldn't want to help. Some of us our parents can't do that, so when we go to them for help, they act with discrimination, and if there's something to be done, they feel you are not worthy of it.
At times people that visit the IDP camp bring these things, but there is a struggle for them, if I get it, then I use it or I use my money to buy it, but there is no keeping of period materials in case of a period. There are a lot of stories of girls in the camp where before you get access to supplies you have to accept the wooing of the camp officials. It's in the camp, people talk about it, they call it "kwembe sha kwembe (that a good turn deserves another)". It means you have to sleep with them for them to do good for you. People don’t report these issues because it is they themselves (the officials) that carry out these acts, so it would be of no gain if you report to them.
It is they themselves, that indulge in these acts. You know most often when others visit, they stay around for only for a while and then they leave. You can only talk to them if they stay longer, but they assume that everything is going smoothly. We don't talk, many at times, we are afraid to speak up out of fear, so we lack the courage to demand our rights. Except the external superiors show up, but even they don't stay around for long when they visit, because they have their work to do.
Rita
not real name
I was doing farm work before the invasion of the Fulani herdsmen on our Community. I'm not happy being on the camp, I am praying to God to help us go back to our community soonest. We don't have food and even detergent and soap too to wash.
Whenever they bring food to the camp, the camp officials will take everything and the little one given to us does not go round because we are plenty in our household. Whenever an enlightened person (a Whiteman) is visiting the camp, the camp officials will tell the women to "scratch their back" so they can benefit from what is brought. Not the real white man but an educated person. Items were brought to the camp and we were asked to line up for collection. So one of the men there was telling someone that I am his girlfriend.
The man was our block manager who was in charge of items shared to us on camp. Anytime he is sharing things with us and my mother is not around he will tell me to come and see him in his room that if I don't come I will lose out on some benefits, he says it all the time.
I have refused severally but he still won't stop disturbing me.
There was a day I was cooking, my brothers were sitting outside. He called me, by then he had not even asked me for a date. When I came to where he was he wanted to force himself on me so I ran out quickly. It was at night.
He has not stopped asking, but I am not interested. I have not reported it and sometimes he says it in public like a joke and walks away.
Zainab
not real name
I used to work on the farm. Then the crisis happened and I moved into the camp. At the camp, people will bring things to share but they (the camp officials) won’t. The chairman of the camp has a problem with me because he asked me out and I refused. It’s always something to give in exchange for another. He called me one day and said I looked good to him but I told him no, that I was too young to be with an elderly person. He started disturbing me immediately I came to camp and disturbed for years. I told him if he was a younger person, but for an elderly person, I was too young. When he stopped disturbing me, he never spoke to me again. He always said if I was with him when the cross people came, he would give me many of the things they bring. Now, whenever they bring things I don’t get. I reported the issue to another official who said he will handle it, but nothing. Even a block leader once tried to rape me. He pressed me against the door, that he will sleep with me and give me 1000 naira. This leader is married to my elder sister. I reported the issue to the chairman but he refused to speak on the matter. Till today, when they share things I don’t get.
Bella
not real name
I was schooling before the herdsmen invaded our community and we had to run for our lives. The herdsmen attacked and chased us out of the community, they killed some people in our community too. I do not like the camp, it's just that I do not have anywhere else to go to than to stay at the camp. There is no proper school at the camp, and my parents do not have money to send me to school. We do not have food as well so we don't feed well on the camp. Whenever people bring clothes, food and other things to the camp, the camp officials keep them and say anyone who needs them must strike a deal, that is "scratch my back I scratch your back" otherwise you won't benefit from what is brought.
We do not know who to report these issues to. If I had the money I would love to go back to school. I want to be enlightened, to learn new things and acquire a skill. It's usually embarrassing when I am amongst my peers and I can't flow with their discussions. I used to school at the camp but while we were on break my uncle asked me to come over and help on his farm and upon my return, I have not resumed school and the school at the camp don’t really teach.
Vee
not real name
I was schooling, still schooling before the crisis. After the crisis, I had to stay at the camp. I didn’t like it but there was nowhere else to go. With no place to stay, no money, even If I didn’t like the camp, there was nothing to do.
I don’t like the camp because there is not enough food. Sometimes I have to use my money to buy food. During menstruation, there is not so much to do because we don’t have enough supplies. Often times, the officials say its “kwembe sha kwembe” before they give you kwembe. When you refuse, they refuse to also give you supplies. This is an exchange of relationship between you and the camp officials. I have been asked out a number of times but not by an official but by those visiting the camp or IDPs themselves.
We don’t report a shortage of food because there are no people to report to. This is because if you report them, they might turn around to falsely accuse you of the things you report.
We know our rights but we don’t talk about it. I would love to go back to school and learn handwork. I don’t attend school at the camp anymore because they don’t really teach. Most times, teachers don’t attend and they teach in the local dialect.
Nkechi
not real name
Due to the crisis, I had no place to stay with my family, so we moved to the IDP camp. While at the camp, I was still farming but whenever we got back from the farm, I needed to get food.
Its not like we don’t get food at the camp, we do but when the people donating the food leave, the officials don’t share the food as they should. For example, if a bag of rice is given for two families to share half each, they will instead take the rice in modus and share to us that way. This applies to all foodstuff including yam. The yam is cut into halves.
At the camp, there is a difference in how boys and girls are treated, this is because as a girl if you are beautiful, a camp official might want to be with you, so if they are with you, you will be given all the things shared in the camp, the problem is when you refuse to be with them. For boys, if you are their friends, you will also benefit from it. Even one of my friends was approached by someone at the camp and she told me. I was approached also but I refused. I get angry easily so I was harsh with them.
Harriet
not real name
I was schooling at my village, staying with my parent and siblings. When I was in the village, I was in JSS 3 but we ran from the crisis. We ran away to a small land my father had, unfortunately we didn’t have anything while staying there. We couldn't survive, so our father asked us to leave him and go to the camp, so that we will be able to access the things they are sharing for the people there. When we got there, I stopped schooling.
While at the camp, some people approached us, and sometimes when I am lacking money, I meet people too and they will promise me that they are working on it. They will promise and give me the date to come and all and when the day come, the person will be expecting sex. Whenever I refuse, the person will no longer want to help. I ask them if I get pregnant, will they be able to take care of me? Some of these men are married with children.
Some of these men are camp officials, others are visitors on camp. The truth is, most of these men ask me for sex only when I ask for favor.
Before we had people who helped at the camp, but they have not visited us at the camp for a long time. We think that the people who donate food for us at the camp stopped because maybe someone told them the officials don’t share the food.
I think boys are discriminated too because the men can take provisions that should be shared for a man and give the girls, just because the boys don’t have what they want to exchange the provisions for.
Doosuur
not real name
I am with my mum in camp, it is as a result of the Fulani herdsmen attacks that we came to stay in camp. I am not doing anything in camp, some people usually bring food and if they don’t share it themselves, the officials in the camp don’t share it adequately, they often reduce the quantity and take the larger shares for themselves and give the people in very small quantity, they also give the girls they are dating more.
As a girl, if the chairman in the camp asks to date you and you decline, when food is brought, even when you go to take your share, they refuse to give you. They only give those they are dating. A block leader asked me out once, he persisted for three days. He even gave me a shirt and promised to give me more if I accept him. Those men usually tell the girls to sleep with them in exchange for clothes and food. That is, they must have sex with them before they will be given cards. In the camp, cards are given to you to collect food. Once you refuse, no food or clothes for you, or sometimes they just share it among themselves and those they are dating. But anyone else, they must sleep with you first.
I am usually shy, so if it happens, I just keep quiet and even if you ask me out, I just refuse. I tell you that’s not what I am in camp for. And it is mature men who do these things, they could destroy you. It is they themselves (officials) that do these things, so who can we report to? It is the officials themselves who do these things so there is no one to report to. We discuss these issues amongst ourselves but there is nothing we can do. Even if we do, there is no one to help, it is still them that are in charge. Even our coming here for this interview, they were against it, but we insisted. They knew these are the kind of questions we would be asked so they kicked against it. Some of the girls went back but we came. Not really, once we were told, we moved to the road immediately but one of us who is dating the official asked us to go and inform him but we refused. One of the women also refused because she said when we come you would ask us about people who raped girls in camp and we would tell so she didn’t want us to come. If they know we did this interview, they might throw us out of the camp. When they find out we disclosed this information, they will get angry. An organization came and asked us some questions about girls that were raped in camp and who raped them. There was a girl that was raped by an outsider. Her parents were in camp but someone from outside raped her. In camp, it is your parents that are responsible for you, not the officials. It is only when supplies are brought that they share.
Yandeh
not real name
I was schooling, I was in SS 2 before I joined the camp. At first, only my mother was at the camp, I was elsewhere, but when they distributed cards, I had to come so I could get the card. The card was helpful because at the time they were displaced, there was no money for anything. But with the card, we receive supplies. It is also from the supplies we get, we sell to get money for my school fees. In that aspect, the camp helped me.
When camp started newly, it was helpful, but now, when they bring things, the camp officials keep them for themselves. Recently, people donated things like soaps, but they didn’t share all, rather they kept them for themselves.
I am suffering an infection due to bad toilet, but this is also because a lot of us don’t take care of the toilet.
In camp, for you to survive, get better positions, you have to be in a relationship with an officer or be related to them.
For me for example, people ask me to be with them, leaders, visitors on camp and the officials but I refuse.
Juliet
not real name
I was in Nasarawa with my parent, and I attended school. The crisis came and destabilized us. My mom has a place at the camp and I stay with her. I don’t like my life at the camp because people bring things for us and the officials take them. Even clothes sometimes you don’t get them.
There is no food or water, the water is no good especially for women during menstruation. We have more men as officials or in leadership positions. Even where women are leaders, the men prefer to do the sharing when they know there is a lot to be gained.
There was a day they were supposed to give us soap, I was laying down a man then came and asked why I was laying alone. He asked if he should join me, but I refused. The next day he asked me out but I declined. I told him I don’t want to be with anyone at the camp. He said if I accept him, anything they bring to the camp, he will give him extra. I still refused until he stopped. He did this for a week and even asked for my number but I didn’t give him. I didn’t report him because sometimes when you report them, they discharge you from the camp. When I imagine that they will discharge me, I think about where my mother will be, so I get scared of reporting. I only told my friend and she said since the man has stopped disturbing me, I should forget it.
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