Fact Check on Claims Made by Social Media Activist Verydarkblackman About Aid Mismanagement in Borno State
By: Zagazola Makama
Recent claims made by social media activist VeryDarkblackMan in a viral video, urging international communities to stop donating funds to Borno State due to alleged mismanagement, have sparked widespread controversy. This fact-check examines the accuracy of these allegations and provides a clearer picture of the current situation in Borno State, particularly regarding support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
CLAIM 1: Allegation of Misused Donations and Ineffective Aid Distribution
The activist claimed that donations made to Borno State are not reaching the intended beneficiaries, citing examples of confusion regarding the donation of funds by Seun Kuti and Isaac Fayose. He further implied that money meant for IDPs is being mishandled by the state government and therefore called on those wanting to donate their funds to support the state to stop donating.
FACTS:
No significant reports or evidence suggest that funds or supplies intended for IDPs are being diverted or misused at a systematic level, as Borno state government has been publishing every penny it received from donors and meaningful individuals. Additionally, the majority of IDP camps in the state have been officially closed, leaving only Muna Albadawiy camp open, further contradicting the activist’s claim about constructing boreholes in IDP camps.
CLAIM 2: 300,000 People Sleeping Outside Due to Government Negligence
In the video, VeryDarkMan claimed that over 300,000 displaced persons were sleeping outside because the government had chased them out of schools or IDP camps without offering alternative shelter.
He interviewed two persons: the first woman said “He did not give us a place to stay and our houses have been destroyed. But she did not say that she was chased out of the camp which implies that she was a resident whose home was destroyed due to the flooding. The second was a man who was calling on meaningful individuals and government for support. He said on the first they of the flood, they took refuge in schools before they were asked to leave.
Again, VeryDarkblackMan picked another video from the street of customs road showing some IDPs who lost their homes, sleeping in the street and claimed that they were part of those chased from camps.
FACTS:
The displacement figures are accurate to an extent, with more than 400,000 people displaced across Borno due to recent flash floods while the flooding affected over 1,000,000 people. However, these individuals were not expelled from official IDP camps. Following the floods, the government, military, and security agencies responded promptly by establishing 26 designated camps to shelter displaced persons. Adequate announcements were made through radio and TV to direct displaced persons to these camps for proper registration and support.
While some displaced persons initially took refuge in schools and other public buildings, in the first three days of the crises before the government started receiving any donation. the Governor paid assessment visit to the locations them where they complained of hunger and other needs. In order to provide solutions to their needs, the Governor directed approval of monetary aid (N10,000) and food to N10,000 affected persons. They were then relocated to 26 official camps, where they would receive continued assistance. Some individuals chose to remain outside these camps, often due to misinformation or personal reasons, but were not "chased out" by the government as the activist suggested.
CLAIM 3: IDPs Camps Lack Basic Facilities Such as Water
The activist said that he received the news from IDP in a camp he visited which lacked essential facilities like water and sanitation, prompting him to consider building three boreholes, with his money and Seun Kuti’s money.
FACTS:
All official IDP camps in Borno State, past and present, are equipped with adequate water and sanitation facilities. These are provided in collaboration with international agencies and partners such as UNICEF, who ensure that the camps are adequately serviced. In Borno state, there are about 52 partners working in both the WASH and the health sector in the state, including six United Nations Agencies – WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, UNOCHA and IOM. There has never been any camp in Maiduguri that was established without adequate wash facilities or boreholes and these partners meet at the Public Health Emergency Operation Center on weekly basis to table any issues affecting displaced. They will never wait for Mr Kuti’s N500,000 or VeryDarkblackMan fictitious N2million or N3million to solve the problems. There is therefore, no credible evidence that any camps have lacked water or sanitation facilities, negating the activist's claim.
Conclusion:
The claims made by VeryDarkblackMan in the viral video appear to be factually inaccurate. While Borno State faces significant challenges due to the ongoing humanitarian crisis, international and national partners are actively involved in providing critical support to displaced persons. The government’s, security and humanitarian response to recent flooding has been both prompt and coordinated, ensuring that those displaced are sheltered and provided with basic needs.
Individual, philanthropists and meaninful individuals outside Borno state have continued to provide food and non food items to the victims in their own way without coming out on media to shout about it.
Fact to know is that Borno has been battling with terrorism for over 14 years and now flooding, yet none of these Nigerian celebrities, Music Artiste or so called Social Media influencers have ever identified or supported the people of the North East in their times of needs. Even those who came only used the opportunity to cash out. Therefore, rather than stopping aid, the international community's continued support remains vital in helping Borno State manage both the effects of terrorism and natural disasters.
