THE IDP SUPPORT PROJECT: CONSOLIDATING RELIEF EFFORTS FOR 2016

Addressing issues of Internally Displaced People

Date: December 19^th, 2015

Venue: 17 Dakala Street, Wuse 2 Abuja

Time: 1pm

In Nigeria, the major causes of internal displacement have been the Boko Haram attacks and counterinsurgency efforts in the North eastern region, communal violence between Christians and Muslims in the Middle-belt region, political violence and cattle-rustling in the North-central regions.

It is difficult to accurately state the number of IDPs or IDP camps in Nigeria presently due to the fact that more and more people are displaced from their homes daily due to the Boko Haram bombings in the North, security challenges and  also because some camps are not easily accessible due to bad roads.

However, in a report released in early 2015, by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) through the Displacement Tracking Matrix(DTM) program, it was stated that 1,188,018 IDPs were identified in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Traba, and Yobe states. Another 47, 276 IDPs were identified I Plateau, Nasarawa, Abuja, Kano and Kaduna states by NEMA(National Emergency Management Agency), bringing the total number of IDPs in Northern Nigeria to 1, 235, 294, with Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states having the highest number of IDPs. Also, 87% of IDPs live with host families, while 13% live in camps. Today, the number has increased to 2.2 million.

The increasing number of IDPs in the country has posed a challenge to the relevant disaster management bodies. The conditions of some of the IDP camps are poor, as key infrastructures are lacking. Facilities that have been stretched are clean water, clinics, toilets, shelter, lack of schools, food and clothing. Also, more babies are born every day in these camps, adding new dimensions to the numerous challenges already faced by camp managers and officials.

There have also been cases of severe malnutrition in children, polio, typhoid, measles, malaria and cholera due to irregular health checks by medical personnel. Also neglected is the psychological trauma faced by the IDPs, resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Sexual abuse is another prevalent problem which has been reported in some camps.

In addition to above listed problems, there exists also, the problem of corrupt camp officials who steal funds and relief materials given to IDPs by the government and concerned citizens and organizations.

As Kayode Ogundamisi (A Nigerian Journalist) wrote in his open memo titled #NigerianIDPscandal to the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, “the level of exploitation of IDPs has reached staggering heights. UNICEF reported receiving only 15% of the US$26.5 million for humanitarian support in Nigeria. Photos of mistreated IDPs provided with minimal food have surfaced.”

In conclusion, though serious efforts have been made by the government and several non-governmental organizations to improve the lives of IDPs, a lot still has to be done. Basic amenities need to be provided for all IDPs with adequate monitoring system set in place to prevent corrupt officials from stealing these funds and relief materials. The security in the camps need to be improved as there have been a few bomb attacks in IDP camps by Boko Haram. Also, education (both formal and informal) need to be made available to IDPs, as leaving them idle can lead some to take up nefarious activities harmful to society. A collective effort from all Nigerians, in all spheres, is necessary to improve the lives of IDPs, both to help them settle into their host communities and to help ease them back into their former communities, for those that choose to return.

This is what the #IDPSupportProject seeks to address; to provide a platform where people can discuss problems faced by IDPs, and also to provide a framework for projects to help IDPs to be developed and implemented through a collective effort.         

To donate relief materials and for further enquiries, call the organizers on 07030579464 or 09091287763


This post was written by Haruna Memuna Ojonugwa, a graduate of Electrical Engineering who is passionate about Technology and Social Development.