The people of Idabato II are currently in a state of shock following a fire disaster that occurred at about 3:17 am on December 29, 2010. According to the Divisional Officer of Idabato Sub division, Mr. Ngah Jonah Mbemngong, the fire emanated from the kitchen of a female fishmonger who was smoking fish, but went to sleep without putting off the fire. The fire went wild and all attempts by the inhabitants to bring it under control proved fruitless. Fuel, used in fishing boats that was stored in homes, instead aggravated the inferno.
Even the palace of the Paramount Chief of Idabato Subdivision, Chief Nyong Effiong Okon was reduced to ashes. “I have no palace now; everything has been reduced to ashes. I am pleading so that the authorities should come to our assistance. The government could provide us with modern fish ovens to avert such incidents in future,” Chief Nyong Effiong Okon told CT.
“A total of 103 houses have been destroyed; 100 of the houses were thatched houses built with dry wooden boards and raffia mats. Three of the houses were semi-permanent structures. This instead helped to aggravate the flames,” the Divisional Officer explained, stating that no life was lost and that when alerted, he visited the area accompanied by some military and law enforcement officials. The Idabato Divisional Officer informed CT that some of the victims are being accommodated by neighbours in Idabato II, “others have gone back to Nigeria. A few Cameroonians have left to other towns to seek accommodation with friends and relatives.”
He said an estimated 900 people have been rendered homeless in the fire disaster that has affected 91 family heads. “I have made a report to hierarchy and informed them of the situation. The Senior Divisional Officer of Ndian, Mr. Peter Tieh Ndeh, visited the area and consoled with the victims,” the Idabato Divisional Officer said. In a voice laden with emotion, he said the local authorities are waiting for assistance and suggested that permanent buildings were a better option to forestall future fire incidents of such magnitude.
It should be recalled that this is the second fire incident to hit Idabato Subdivision in 2010. On the 23rd to 24th of January 2010, fire reduced some 300 thatched houses to ashes and rendered many homeless in Jabane (Idabato Subdivision). The government intervened with much-needed medical and nutritional assistance and built houses for the victims. Idabato II, it should be noted, is the headquarters of Idabato Subdivision in the Bakassi Peninsula. Moreover, over 90% of the inhabitants are of Nigerian extraction. Access is by boat from Idenau in the West Coast District of the South West Region.
