New Kuchingoro: A slum in the heart of Abuja

|BY CLEMENT OKPANI

A visit to New Kuchingoro, a slummy suburb of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), Federal Capital Territory, reveals a telling paradox: Adjacent to this slum is a number of estates that boast a state- of- the- art architectural designs. Yet, the people that live across the road do so in devastating conditions. Located off Galadimawa-Area 1 Expressway, this slum thrives in prostitution, sleaze and all other anti-social tendencies, as a result of lack of opportunity of the residents to better their lives.. There, the slum comprises of the internally displaced persons (IDPS) from Borno, Adamawa, Plateau and Kaduna states.

The residents who fled their ancestral homes because of insurgency are not enjoying any security, light, portable water, good health care and education. The standard of living there is better imagined than experienced. Apart from being a threat to the Federal Capital Territory, because of high level of crime, it also reveals the high-level of neglect on the part of the government. The residents survived on their own as if they do not belong to a country. The fortunate ones work in the city as cleaners for a peanut at the end of the month.

Ibrahim Stephen from Pulka, Borno State narrated how he lost his father in the hands of the insurgents. Ibrahim who has a barbing salon shop expressed his displeasure over the treatment being meted out to them by the government. Although there were no good barbing equipment in his shop, but Ibrahim still barbs at cost of two hundred naira. One wonders how Ibrahim and his mother survive at the irregular turn-up of customers.

A plate of local dish Tuwo Masara costs one hundred naira. In an attempt to enter a local restaurant, this reporter was instantly received by a swarm of fat-looking flies. The food is not necessarily nutritious but it is eaten just the same to satiate hunger. Everywhere you turn; there is tension, hunger, anxiety and hopelessness. Stephen remembered home n tears, but was uncertain when he would go back to his ancestral home. Consoling him that the government was doing everything possible to better their lots triggered his anger the more. He seemed to have lost confidence in promises.

This is dangerous. From the entrance into the slum, they were no single security personnel. But these are Nigerians who ran out of their homes seeking refuge in Abuja. The children, youths and the aged are there at the mercy of the elements, hungary and short of cash, they seemed like strangers in their own country. The few of them that have small generating sets use it to power their light in the night. The fuel scarcity affected them greatly as darkness seemed to define their lives from 7pm in the evening till dawn. For them, life is boring and discouraging, but could get better if they go back home. The residents sounded as if there is no particular plans for them by the government.

They recount their pains and sorrows on a daily basis. One wonders how the residents survive without a good health care system and portable water. Although there is a private clinic a bit far from the slum which may cost more than that of the government. Nursing mothers were seen breast feeding their babies. But the health hazards that those children will be exposed to is better imagined than seen. These children will not be happy with their leaders if they grow up like Ibrahim Stephen and other residents in the slum. These people go inside the bush to pass out their excreta. You would imagine what happens at night when nature calls. Children are not left. The only primary school around, a ramshackle make-shift structure closes early than the usual times for schools. They lack qualified teachers and basic training as pupils interviewed by this reporter did not know the names of the 36 states.

Mr. Buba S. Nimram who hails from Plateau State could not hide his disappointment. He noted that several people have entered the slum with several unfulfilled promises. He said that Plateau and Kaduna internally displaced persons (IDPS) were the first to move into that slum for few years now before others from Borno and Adamawa states joined. Mr. Buba said that the newly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) struggled to push them out of the benefit from the government if any at all. He said that the old settlers fought gallantly and the action produced the head of the slum called MEE ANGWA. After that, normalcy returned.

He said he is one of the elders that make decision for the good and benefit of everybody in the slum. He advised Hall mark to see the slum head (MEE ANGWA). On heeding Mr. Buba’s advice, Mr. Nuhu Adamu who hails from Kaduna state appeared with mixed reaction to Hallmark’s visit , saying nothing will come out of it , as , according to him, many media houses had highlighted their plight without government coming to assist them. Nuhu engaged Hall mark in discussion enumerating and dissecting the plights they are going through. He would have cried like Ibrahim, but he summoned courage not to. Nuhu volunteered to assemble the residents if permitted. The encounter with Nuhu took a longer time than expected. One wonders why a country like Nigeria produces destitute like the residents at new kuchingoro slum in Abuja. What has the government done or is doing to alleviate the sufferings of these Nigerians? When are they going back to their ancestral homes? How would they start life over again?

For Janet Agwankga from Adamawa State, her life ”is a big joke as the system has not only mocked it but has turned me into a ”punching bag” and ”door mat ” of heartless men that promised me job only to have their phone switched of ”immediately they succeeded in browsing my website”, she angrily lamented to this reporter. A petty trader in Michika before the Boko Haram trouble, she lost everything to Islamist terror: Her brother, sister and uncle. She disclosed that it was these sad development that led to the death of her father last January.