SIR: The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) define Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) as “persons or groups of persons who have been forced to flee, or leave, their homes or places of habitual residence as a result of armed conflict, internal strife, and habitual violations of human rights, as well as natural or man-made disasters involving one or more of these elements, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized state border”.
Large numbers of Nigerians are currently displaced as a result of incessant conflicts in different states of the federation and so lack proper shelters over their heads. They are living in abysmal poverty and despair.
In the bid to ensure that IDPs have secure places to stay, the government set up temporary shelters to provide initial relief for the victims of the displacement. One of such camps is the Kuchingoro IDP camp close to the Games Village, Abuja. On my visit, I made some notable findings.
With a population of 4500 persons, the Kuchingoro IDPs are a mix of persons from Bauchi, Plateau, Adamawa, and over 90% from Borno State. Some unfortunately are from Cameroon. It seems to me that the foreigners might not have been profiled properly as this itself portends a potential security problem.
Another noteworthy concern is the dehumanizing condition of the IDPs. Most of the IDPs moved into the camp since 2014, (almost five year years now); yet government attention did not extend beyond the first year hence their dependence on humanitarian assistance from Faith Based Organizations (FBOs), Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and well-meaning individuals since.
There are little or no provision for amenities like medical facilities, power and water supply, and educational facilities at least for their wards. Although, an educational structure “Nos Vies on Partage” has been set up, the school operates with minimal educational resources and non-professional teachers who are volunteers. Among the youths, drug abuse and other such vices are not uncommon.
Ironically, the IDP camp has become a place of tension, strain, vulnerability to diseases, acute malnutrition, and general endangerment rather than a place of temporary succor and relief. Facilities at the camp are poorly built, mostly wooden with smell that chokes; the entire environment makes them vulnerable to diseases. Medical personnel who are mostly volunteers are few and not always available; worse still is that pregnant women at the camp can hardly access ante-natal and post-natal services. Many of them are eager to go back to their states and communities because the unbearable situation despite the uncertainty of the safety of their ancestral homes. Majority of the inhabitants of the camp are women and children. They have no means of livelihood.
I urge the government to take a holistic view of these challenges. It should look into the general well-being of the IDPs and ensure the provision of basic amenities like potable water, food, electricity amongst others. Attention should be paid to the education of the children. Proper educational facilities and professional teachers should be provided for the children at the IDP camp. The government should provide capital for women to start businesses. Lastly, profiling IDPs in the camps is an essential action the government should carry out to address future security challenges.
IDP camps are temporary development not a permanent one as it is the case now. Adequate conflict prevention, management and resolution mechanisms should be put in place to address violent conflict issues so as to return peace to troubled areas and allow IDPs return to their communities and homes in good time. Stakeholders should work assiduously towards ensuring the safe return of IDPs to their respective homes and communities of origin.
- Mujong Rachel Humwapwa, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja.
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