Jalingo—No fewer than 50 children have died of measles and cholera in the last five weeks at the refugee camp in Bali, headquarters of Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State

Over 30 adults were also confirmed to have been killed by diseases, even as others are down with injuries they sustained from machetes cuts by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

These were disclosed by the spokesman of the Tiv refugee camp situated in Bali town, Mr. Emmanuel Kee, while addressing journalists who visited the refugee camp, yesterday.

Chairman of Bali council, Mr. Andy Yerima, also confirmed the outbreak of the diseases, adding that he officially wrote to the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, intimating them of the outbreak of the diseases in the camp, but lamented that he got no response from the state Ministry of Health.

He said: “You know we have a process of following up matters. When the matter of the outbreak was reported to me, I wrote formally to the Director of Health but there was no response.”

Efforts to get the confirmation of the state government proved futile as calls and messages to the telephone of Commissioner for Health, Dr. Oliver Wubon, received no reply.

The Tiv people have been taking refuge in Bali since March, after they were attacked by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the southern part of Taraba State.

Kee stated that parents watched their children die without intervention by the authorities.

He also disclosed that 11 babies were born in the camp under difficult circumstances.

Kee added that there had been so many challenges in the camp since the people lost everything, including food and shelter.

He said: “Our people who are here in the camp cannot go out of this town for a distance of two kilometres. If the Fulani see you out there, they will kill you.

“Yesterday, one of us, Mr. Yabubu Akpenkaan, went out to fetch fire wood and sell so he can feed his family. He has not come back. The wife and children are crying in hunger and agony.” 

Madam Rebecca, wife of Yakubu Akpenkaan, told Vanguard in tears that she was still praying for the safe return of her husband.

She disclosed also that so many families at the camp were having difficulties feeding their children and other dependents.

The chief of Tiv in Bali council, Chief David Gbaa, who was also in the camp, told journalists that his people had been passing through hardship since the outbreak of the crisis between Tiv and Fulani six months ago.

Gbaa called on the Federal Government to come to the aid of the people, while lamenting that the state government had been playing politics with the crisis by telling the world that there was peace in Taraba State.

By John Mkom