The 'Catastrophic Human Emergency' Unfolding in Nigeria

More than 1,200 Nigerians have starved to death in a refugee camp after fleeing Boko Haram's reign of terror.

Since Africa's deadliest terror group rose to power under the dark banner of jihad in 2009, thousands of Nigerians have been murdered or forced from their homes. 

Borno State, Nigeria, is home to what Medicins San Frontieres (MSF) calls a "catastrophic humanitarian emergency."  A MSF medical team traveled to the town of Barma to treat the refugees there. What they saw in the few hours they were there they describe as nothing short of a health crisis. 

"A rapid nutritional screening of more than 800 children found that 19 percent were suffering from severe acute malnutrition – the deadliest form of malnutrition," MSF reports.

"This is the first time MSF has been able to access Bama, but we already know the needs of the people there are beyond critical," said Ghada Hatim, MSF head of mission in Nigeria. "We are treating malnourished children in medical facilities in Maiduguri and see the trauma on the faces of our patients who have witnessed and survived many horrors."

The MSF medical team counted 1,233 cemetery graves that had been dug in the last year -- 480 of those graves were for children. 

"Since 23 May, at least 188 people have died in the camp - almost six people per day - mainly from diarrhea and malnutrition," MSF reports. 

One of the reasons why so many people are dying from starvation is because "Barma is largely closed off," Hatim says. 

But refugee camps are not the only places in Borno State where people are starving. Just this past week police officials and soldiers engaged in a shoot-out over rice. 

The Borno State government is distributing rice to thousands of people who are fasting during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. When hungry army soldiers tried storming a government building demanding rice, an all-out brawl erupted with several shots fired.

As a result, the Bono government suspended the rice rations, leaving thousands without food. 

Starvation, severe malnutrition and the thousands of deaths are a symptom of the far-reaching effects of the Boko Haram terror campaign. 

Many survivors say this is more than just terror, but a war on faith. 

CBN recently spoke with Stephen, one of thousands of Nigerians driven from their homes at the hands of Boko Haram. 

"We asked them repeatedly why they are doing what they are doing. They told us this is an all-out battle against Christians and Muslims," he told CBN News in an exclusive interview.

Hundreds of Boko Haram jihadists stormed the city of Gwoza while Stephen was working on a farm. 

"It was well coordinated. They attacked in huge numbers, going from house to house, stealing, destroying, then capturing men, women, and children," Stephen recounted. 

"They attacked Gwoza because it is predominately a Christian town," he explained.

After the attack, the terrorists made it no secret why they did it and who their allegiance is to. 

"Thanks be to Allah, who gave victory to our brethren in Gwoza and made it part of the Islamic caliphate," Boko Haram leader Abubakar Sheku said in a 52-minute video. "We did not do it on our own. Allah used us to capture Gwoza; Allah is going to use Islam to rule Gwoza, Nigeria, and the whole world."

While ISIS is dominating international headlines in the Middle East, many fear Boko Haram is building its own Islamic State in Africa. But Boko Haram does not have its sights set only on Africa, but also the West. 

Just this past week, Boko Haram fractured over disagreements about its degree of loyalty to ISIS. A large group of militants broke off to form another group that pledges complete allegiance to the Islamic State. 

"What concerns me is the break-off group of Boko Haram who wants to be more ISIL-like and consequently buy into the ISIL-brand of attacking Western interests," Marine Lt. Gen. Thomas Waldhauser, a nominee to lead Africom – the U.S. military's Africa Command, said.