Internally Displacement in Nigeria
Introduction
Displacement refers to a situation where people are obliged to move from their locality to another. This occurs due to a number of factors; natural disasters, armed conflict, famine, and many other economic changes. As people undergo displacement, sometimes they move from one specific area to another definite area as a group. However, there are instances when people happen to move suddenly leading to lose of livelihood. For instance, parents taking different directions from their children (World at War, 2014). More often, displaced populations are characterized by poverty; this is because, they are forced to evacuate their homeland which they are familiar with, to go and start a new life elsewhere. Displacement of people normally affects a nation negatively, because a nation will have to spend on how to cater for the displaced population in the refugee land. Displacement is a global predicament that needs attention, and immediate action to be taken to support the affected people. For instance, according to a report released in 2016, a single individual was forced to flee their home to move to another place in the same country (World at War, 2014).
The other types of displacement include internally displacement and forced displacement. Internally displacement is where people are forced to flee their home region, but they remain within their country’s borders. They are not entitled any international protection as refugees. Internal displacement involves a short distance and short time frame. These kinds of displacement occur as a result of conflicts (World at War, 2014). They also occur as a result of sudden onset weather disasters such as drought, storms, and floods. On the other hand, forced displacement is where a person moves from his or her home region to another far region. This may involve international displacement. One form of forced displacement is population transfer. This form of displacement involves the transfer of a large group of people from one place to another often enforced by international authority or state policy. This can be done by the superior party with an aim of using the land for other purposes, or due to disastrous environmental conditions.
The other form of forced displacement is deportation. This refers to expulsion of people from a given place or country. This may happen in a two-way manner; for instance, if one country surrenders her member to another country because of committing an offense and this is commonly known as extradition. The other way involves the forceful removal of a foreigner out of the country just because his presence is inconsistent with the welfare of the country and this is always known as deportation. Forced displacement is always prolonged as people stay away for more than four years (Project on internal displacement, 2014). It was also discovered that very few members go back to their home countries after a long period of displacement. This is an issue of concern globally that requires proper coordination. Forced displacement causes severe suffering, especially to the extreme poor and the vulnerable such as children, women, and the youths. The displaced people face a challenge of limited capital and inadequate assets. In that state, they are unable to make plans and also not in position to access proper basic services. They normally live under uncertainty. The host community is also affected, for instance, it faces a sudden fiscal shock and increase in demand of services.
There are many organizations that help to render service during displacement situations. These organizations are normally international, national and local and they have a distinct role to play. One of the international organizations is the United Nations with its organizational arms. The United Nations plays a big role of coordinating international and national humanitarian providers during an emergency. The OCHA provides a clear framework that gives all humanitarian providers to respond to an emergency. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) works on the global food supply and solves the problems associated with food supply. The IOM is an international Organization that help to remove relocate refugees both internally and internationally. The UNHCR offers international protection, assists internally displaced people more especially in conflict related cases (World at War, 2014). The World Food Programme is an international organization that deals with the supply of food to the affected population. The World Health Organization offers health assistance by monitoring health standards in such areas. There are many other organizations such as, save the children, refugees international. All these organizations provide a significant role towards the welfare of the displaced people, for instance, providing food, medical supply, shelter, educational facilities, and other necessary assistance to the displaced people.
This paper will bring to our knowledge displacement as a global problem, the types of displacement that arise in the world today, the humanitarian organization that assist during displacement. However, the main objective of the paper is to discuss displacement in Nigeria. This will explore the causes of displacement, challenges faced by the displaced people, and how the government and other international organizations have responded towards the problem in Nigeria.
Nigeria faces a sequence of consistent humanitarian and economic crises which needs to be attended to in order to avoid disruption in the basic life-support systems. Displacement has increased in Nigeria because of the increase in Islamic attacks by the Boko Haram which resulted in protection crisis in the North Eastern part of Nigeria (Eni & Synda, 2016). As a result, over 1 million people have been forced to move to other parts of the country and about 200000 people taking refuge in the neighboring countries, such as Chad, Cameroon and Niger (Oduwole & Fadeyi, 2013). The government’s operations have also caused insecurity and displacement in the North Eastern part of the country plus the neighboring countries. It is a challenging incident to the population of North Eastern Nigeria and the entire population has been affected negatively. In addition to Islamic attacks, many Nigerians have also been displaced due to natural disaster, and communal clash.
The most common form of displacement in Nigeria is, internal displacement, where millions of people have moved out of their original homes to the other parts of Nigeria. In 2012, the country witnessed severe flooding as a result of heavy rains, which affected many coastal and inland cities of Nigeria. Communities were swept away by floods, properties destroyed, many people were displaced, and many others lost their lives during the incident. In addition to floods, Nigeria also faces inter-communal clashes brought by ethnic tensions (Olagunju, 2006). These ethnical and religious clashes have led to unstable climate of violence in the northern region including Middle Belt. In the past 15 years, many people have been displaced due to increased violence (Internal Displaced Persons, 2015). These conflicts are being steered up by numerous factors, such as ethno-religious disputes, land disputes, cattle rustling, and other cases of criminality. In 2014, over 400 people in the Middle Belt, Benue, Taraba, and Nasarawa, were left dead due to inter-communal violence, whereas many other displacements and destructions took place.
Boko Haram insurgency is one the causes of displacement that has caused many people to flee not, only to the other parts of the country but also to the neighboring countries as refugees. Over the last five years, Boko Haram is in control of the twenty out of the twenty-seven local government areas in Borno State of North Eastern Nigeria. As a result of the terrorism activities within those areas, many people have been forced to flee the affected regions and have set up camps in areas that are relatively secure. For instance, according to the report in 2016, around 130,000 people had set up their camps in Maiduguri, one of the local governments in the State of Borno. Over 1.2 million people were also staying in other states within the country (Jelili & Olanrewaju, 2016). These terrorism activities have disrupted with the day today activities of people, hence affecting trade flows. Many things have become scarce in the market, for instance, staples and other basic commodities hence increase in the price of such commodities. Thus, many people in the country are food insecure.
Internally displaced people in Nigeria face a number of challenges. Women and children being the vast majority, feel as if their lives are still at risk, hence have restricted movement. Many are afraid of returning back in fear that the same incident may happen again, whereas, others have nowhere to go back to because their homes were completely destroyed by either floods or during conflict. The efforts by the national government to address their issues are not consistent. There is also a problem of limited support from international organizations and the civil society of Nigeria (Protection Sector Factsheet, 2016). Those who live in camps usually get assistance; however, it is always insufficient to meet their basic needs. There is a challenge of poor health conditions, as they tend to live in overcrowded and unhygienic places. The vulnerable groups of people, especially the old, young children and people with disability are at higher risk, since their needs are less cared for. There is a challenge of low access to education by the displaced children. The terrorists have made attacks against schools, and this called for closure of such facilities in the affected areas. Even in the remaining schools, many internally displaced children do not go to school because of the fear of attack (Eni & Synda, 2016). Additionally, there are reported cases of rape, sexual harassment, infant marriages and forced marriages in refugee and the consequences of these cases noted. There is also poor strategy to guide in offering humanitarian assistance coupled with corrupt practices by the leaders, whereby money and other commodities are not distributed to the people rightly.
Conclusion
Displacement is a global challenge that needs a collective responsibility and much attention both nationally and internationally. A number of strategies should be put in place in order to prevent the occurrence of other incidents that can lead to displacement of people. The causes of displacement are now apparent to many nations such that they can prepare before the calamity comes and destroys many people. Despite the efforts that have been put in place to assist the displaced people in Nigeria, the government to strengthen its security while facilitating the return of these people to their homes.
References
Olagunju, O. (2006). Management of internal displacement in Nigeria. Unpublished thesis.
Brandeis University.
Nigeria: Protection Sector Factsheet, www.venturesafrica.com/the-numberof-internallydisplaced-
person/_... Last assessed 22nd Feb. 2016.)
Internal Displaced Person in Nigeria, dailytimes.ng/protecting-internally-displaced-persons/ last
assessed 23rd Feb. 2016.
Internal Displaced Persons, Protection Strategy, available at
www.humanitarianresponse.info/en/operations/nigeria/document/idpprotectionstrategy2015-
0 last assessed 22nd Feb. 2016
World at War: Unhcr Global Trends : Forced Displacement in 2014. Geneva: UNHCR, 2015. Print
Eni Alobo & Synda Obaji, (2016) Internal Displacement in Nigeria and the Case for Human Rights Protection of Displaced Persons.
Oduwole Tajudeen A. & Fadeyi Adebayo O. (2013) Issues of Refugees and Displaced Persons in Nigeria.
Project on internal displacement, (2014). Improving the Protection of Internally Displaced Women: Assessment of Progress and Challenges.
Jelili, M.O & Olanrewaju, S.O (2016). Realities of IDPs Camps in Nigeria.
