BY SAIDU MUHAMMAD TAR, FEBRUARY 25, 2026 | 01:43 PM

An incomplete structure is situated comfortably on the donated ground behind the CBN Quarters in Maiduguri, northeastern Nigeria.

The rooms are leaking during the rainy season, the roof is not completed, and the walls are damaged.

For more than ten years, this camp has served as a haven for conflict-displaced families, including those who ran away from violence but never got the chance to access the Nigerian humanitarian system.

Residents call this place Yajiwa Camp. It is not neither registered nor an official camp recognized by the government.

This has affected almost every aspect of the lives of the more than 20 families who live under this tattered shelter. Widows, the elderly, and children grapple for food, health services, education, a decent shelter, and security.

'We have been living here for more than ten years,' said 50-year-old Sale Yajiwa, a father of seven who ran away from Konduga Local Government Area's Yajiwa ward when violence erupted.

'Some NGOs used to help us. But now nothing reaches us. We make charcoal and cut firewood to sustain ourselves'. He said.

Displacement Without Recognition.

Due to the more than a decade insurgency in the Northeast Nigeria, the prevalence of humanitarian crises grows even after some displaced are resettle back in their communities.

Unlike government-approved camps, which are maintained by humanitarian agencies and the government, the Yajiwa settlement emerged organically.

Families were forced to leave their homes, and the community provided the land.

What was meant to be a temporary solution has now become a permanent one.

Yakubu Ibrahim, a 65-year-old father of ten, said, 'There is no life here but suffering. We have not received any aid for years.'

The toilets in the settlement are broken and unhygienic. There are no government-provided shelters, no medical facilities, and no food or basic necessities of life.

Families are packed tightly into small areas, living in flimsy, weak bamboo houses and temporary structures that can be blown away by strong winds.

Displacement did not end for the residents of Yajiwa when they left the violence.

It simply became a quieter, more prolonged process.

Living Outside the Camp System.

There are consequences for failing to be officially registered.

The Yajiwa camp is not an officially registered camp, said a government official in the Borno State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA).

speaking on the condition of anonymity. 'They decided to stay there themselves,' said the official, describing it as their decision to remain in the Yajiwa camp despite the state government's resettlement efforts.

Mainu Bulama, 60, said, 'We hear that relief reaches other areas.

'It doesn't always reach us, but sometimes it does,' she said.

Survival as a Daily Struggle

The majority of families in the settlement make their living through informal labor.

Men and women go into the surrounding bushes to get firewood, which they sell in market around the city of Maiduguri.

Others burn charcoal, which is a physically taxing and hazardous job with minimal pay.

Yagana Bukar, 35, who escaped from Bulabulin ward in Konduga, stated, 'We hustle to find money wheN our children are sick.

We were farmers back home. Here, we just manage.' she said

Health care is not assured. The small community does not have a clinic. Families frequently have to choose between healthcare and food since they have to pay for transportation, consultation and for medicine.

Conditions deteriorate throughout the wet season. Floors unhygienic, roofs leak, and standing water attracts insects.

'Our kids get sick when there's rain in the room,' Yagana stated.

Children and the Right to Education

A large part of the population of the settlement is made up of children.

Some of them do not go to local schools, while others do.

The cost of books, uniforms, and unofficial tuition fees has been cited as a barrier by parents.

Others are worried about hunger, safety, or the long journey to school.

'I want my children to go to school,' Sale said. 'But we cannot always afford it.'

Going to school is no longer an emergency response for children who have been moved more than ten years ago; it is, instead, a right that has been constantly delayed.

For many children born after their families escaped violence, displacement has affected their education. Some have never been to where their parent came from.

Human Rights Beyond Camp Boundaries

Human rights advocates argue that the dividends of basic rights should not depend on registration in camps or displacement.

The National Human Rights Commission's information officer, Mrs. Pauline Kuje Vana, said that the government is responsible to all displaced persons, regardless of where they move.

'Just because they are not in a camp established by the government does not mean they can be left out,' she said.

'A good government is always cognizant of the whereabouts and needs of its citizens.'

She explained that permanent relocation outside of government structures may place people at risk of being taken advantage of, abused, and marginalized.

She said, 'I have worked in that area before. I know how vulnerable people living in such conditions can be. There are people who take advantage of circumstances.'

She makes it clear that the basic rights such as food, shelter, health care, and security is not a privilege that comes with registration in camps.

She said, 'When the lives of people improve, society improves.'

A Policy Gap in Plain Sight

The Yajiwa settlement is one such example of the broader issue of humanitarian response and the gap between the provision of aid in camps and the needs of displaced persons who have settled.

Informal settlements often do not correlate with the planning structure, while formal camps allow for structured provision of aid.

This gap only expands with the passage of time and displacement.

Yakubu said, 'We didn't decide to leave our homes. We fled out of fear.'

Even with the passage of over a decade, there is still a lack of clarity despite the fear perhaps having dissipated.

Return Is Not Yet an Option

Many families believe that the lack of basic facilities and security of life hinder them from returning to their hometowns.

The farmlands are abandoned. Houses are torn down. Clinics and schools are not functioning.

Sale quoted, 'The town we left is empty. Now, nobody lives there.'

Families remain in a cycle of survival because of the lack of proper return options and integration support.

Informal camps typically endure a quieter type of exclusion, uncounted, unregistered, and unsupported.

They are not dramatically relocated. It doesn't make news. However, it continues.

Ten Years And Still Counting.

In the Yajiwa settlement, children play on uneven ground as night falls. Food, school, illness, and tomorrow are all subjects of conversation when it comes to survival.

While it is a protective zone, the shelter is not solid.

For many families, displacement has become a chronic condition and make them vulnerable.

They are not asking for luxury. They want to be noticed, to be counted. and to live a dignified life.

****This story is supported by humAngle's 2025 fellowship program****