Nigerian musician 2baba pleads for support for Boko Haram displaced victims

Nigeria’s music star Innocent Idibia was recently spotted at a camp for displaced civilians in the northern state of Borno. A crowd of excited fans hoping to catch a glimpse of the artist, gathered in minutes at the camp.

The musician popularly known as 2baba or 2face Idibia visited people affected by an eight-year conflict in the region waged by militant group Boko Haram.

2baba is partnering with the UN refugee agency, UNHCR to raise awareness about the crisis in the region.

“I’m trying to raise more awareness so that many people will come to donate many things and to make life easier for them. I’m going to tell Nigerians that their brothers and sisters are suffering and they need to help,” he said.
2baba visited camps located in Ngala near the border with Cameroon, which host about 94,000 people.

He spent time with a few other families to show solidarity and better understand their plight.

Thirty-five-year-old Algoni Abubakar fled to the camp with his family after Boko Haram attacks in their home area.
He told the celebrity that the extremists killed their neighbours and burnt their homes.

“We want schools for the children, second we want health care and water, we are very hungry. Right now we have to go to the forest to collect firewood and sell to buy food. We want help with food, because when we go out there, we might meet Boko Haram,” he said.

The musician’s ‘2Face Foundation’ donated over US$11,000 to UNHCR early this year

Head of the UNHCR sub-office in north-east Nigeria , Cesar Tshilombo said with the partnership, they are hoping to raise awareness not only at local level but also at the international level for people to understand that people are suffering.

“We are trying to give people the necessary but the funding is not enough for us to do more than we have done especially in terms of providing basic needs for IDPs and returnees,” he added.

2baba sang his single ‘Hold My Hand’ with the children, which was launched on World Refugee Day this year. He has committed part of the proceeds from the song to help the affected population.

His foundation will stage a benefit concert on 24 July in Abuja to raise additional funds.