A devastating fire broke out at the Water Board Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Monguno, Borno State, on Friday, January 16, 2026, destroying more than 100 thatched houses. The Borno State Police Command confirmed that the inferno began around 4:30 PM, rapidly spreading through the makeshift shelters and consuming large quantities of foodstuff, livestock, and essential household items. The camp chairman, Bukar Mbati, reported the incident to the Monguno Police Station as residents fled the heat and thick smoke.
The State Fire Service, in collaboration with police and other security agencies stationed at the camp, successfully brought the flames under control after several hours. ASP Nahum Daso, the Police Public Relations Officer, stated that an on-the-spot assessment led by Supol Monguno found no loss of life or serious injuries. However, the financial value of the property destroyed remains high, leaving hundreds of already vulnerable families homeless and without food in the middle of the harmattan season.
This incident is the latest in a recurring series of fire outbreaks that have plagued IDP settlements in the North-East. Authorities have previously investigated claims that some fires in Borno camps were set deliberately by “malevolent parties,” while others are often attributed to cooking near thatched walls or the burning of surrounding bushes. Just days prior to this event, a similar fire razed 76 shelters in Ngamma village, Yobe State, affecting displaced persons who had originally fled the insurgency in Borno.
