A retired Nigerian military soldier is seen in Yola, Nigeria, on March 4, 2015, at an informal camp for people displaced by Boko Haram violence. He says he's disappointed in the government's response to the insurgents. "They're habitual criminals," he said. "Why are we not fighting them as such?" Kathleen Caulderwood
YOLA, Nigeria -- More than a million Nigerians have fled Boko Haram violence in the country’s northeast, and at least 200,000 have settled in this city. As the militant group continues its deadly campaign in the region, these internally displaced people (IDPs) are forced to escape their hometowns and seek shelter and safety elsewhere, even if it means walking for days on end. It has fast become a humanitarian crisis.
They come from all walks of life. Among them are farmers, teachers and lawyers -- many of whom had once opened their home to others fleeing the attacks, only to be forced to leave their homes days later when the militant group moved forward. Fearing the conditions and security at government camps, the majority of people stay with friends or distant relatives. Some locals have hosted dozens of people in single-family homes for months at a time. Others have created their own informal camps in vacant buildings.
In the meantime, the displaced people try to get work if they can, and do their best to send children to school and keep the family fed. Local aid groups have been trying to fill the gap in resources, but supplies are quickly running out. The IDPs look forward to the day when they can return to their hometown and start rebuilding. But for now, all they can do is wait for news.
Yola, Nigeria, March 3, 2015. Women carry bags of donated food after a distribution at a local church. Though aid groups have been providing massive amounts of supplies, there is never enough for everyone. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 7 2015. Hadiza and Rukayya Ibrahim sit in the house they rented after fleeing a Boko Haram attack in their hometown. Their sons Idiba and Bello, both 3 years old, sleep on the matress while Hadiza's daughter dozes in front of her, covered in a blanket. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 7 2015. Rukayya, 20 and Hadiza, 22 pose for a photo inside the house they rent with their husband Adamu, after they fled Boko Haram attacks in the northeast. Both women stayed in their village after the militants attacked, fearing for the safety of themselves and their three children. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 6 2015. Aisha, 17, poses for a photo after sending SMS messages on her cell phone. She sits in the one-room house her family now rents after fleeing Boko Haram violence in her hometown. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 5 2015. Two children wait in line for lunch at an informal camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in an empty school building.Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 4 2015. Hundreds of thousands of people have settled in the city after fleeing Boko Haram violence, staying with friends, relatives or even strangers. A local widow, right, took in more than a dozen women and their children after finding them living in army barracks nearby. During the day their husbands go into town looking for work, and some of their children attend a local school if they can afford the fees.Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1 2015. Three women who have fled Boko Haram violence look through a window at a local church as aid groups distribute food donations. Many woman fled the militant's attacks while pregnant, and now are taking care of their small children whilst living in informal camps or with relatives. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1 2015. A woman carries a bag of donated food after a distribution at a local church. Though aid groups have been supplying as much as possible, there is never enough for everyone. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1 2015. Women who have fled Boko Haram violence wait for a food distribution after Sunday mass at a local church. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1 2015. A group of women joke with one another after a food distribution at a local church. Many of the internally displaced people (IDPs) are living with friends and family from their hometown, even though they have settled in a new city. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1 2015. A woman holds her daughter after a food distribution food distribution for IDPs. The vast majority of people collecting food donations are women struggling to feed their own children, plus others who have lost their parents. Many young children did not survive the long trek from Boko Haram-controlled areas to safe zones. Kathleen Caulderwood
A man tries to organize a group if internally displaced persons waiting for a food at a church in Yola, Nigeria, March 1, 2015. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1 2015. Internally displaced people (IDPs) who have fled Boko Haram territory wait in line at a food distribution at a local church. Sometimes the process can take hours. Kathleen Caulderwood
Yola, Nigeria. March 1, 2015. A young girl collects what remains after a food distribution to IDPs who have fled Boko Haram. The militant group has killed thousands of people in a series of attacks in northeast Nigeria, leaving many children without parents. Kathleen Caulderwood
