Displaced: The Plight of Nigerians in IDP Camps
For over 10 years now, Nigeria has witnessed a monumental displacement of people from their original homes due to violent extremism spearheaded by Boko Haram in the Northeast. The crisis which has claimed many lives since the first suicide attack in June 2011, continues to affect many lives in the region.
Recently, the bandits and herdsmen crisis in the northern and central parts of the country have contributed to the continued increase in the spread of adverse humanitarian challenges. The violent attacks have seen the rise of many camps for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) in strategic communities as those affected in the violence seek safety away from their homes.
According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, over 2 million people are internally displaced in Nigeria.
So, how does life work for these people in the IDP camps?
From the many reports and accounts of personal experiences from inhabitants and volunteers, life in Nigerian IDP camps is difficult and filled with uncertainties. It is bereft of comfort and strips the inhabitants of any sense of dignity. The majority of the people in the camps face poor living conditions and are exposed to all kinds of emotional and physical stress.
A people deprived
The yardstick for measuring the quality of life in an IDP camp is to ascertain whether the inhabitants are provided with adequate food and WASH. WASH is an acronym for “water, sanitation, and hygiene”. These essential provisions are a rarity to many displaced persons. In some camps, the people have no place to defecate or bathe. One displaced person at Durumi IDP camp in Abuja once told an Al Jazeera reporter that it would have been better if she died with dignity than going through the hellish situations she’s had to endure.
All efforts by the government and various NGOs to reduce the sufferings of the internally displaced persons seem to fall short of what is required. Given the rate at which people are being displaced in the north, it has become quite difficult for the government to keep up with the demands. The issue is made all the more difficult by corrupt officials who misappropriate funds meant for the welfare of the displaced persons.
Shortage of food and water
Food is hard to come by in many IDP camps in Nigeria. Shortage of food is perhaps one of the most challenging aspects of living in the camps, and lack of safe drinking water compounds the issue. The inhabitants can only hope to get a meager ration of food that is mostly lacking in nutrition. Poor feeding exposes the children as well as women who make the largest portion of the camps to malnutrition.
Misery and abuse
In many IDP camps, the women and children alongside their male counterparts suffer from all kinds of abuse. They are perpetually exposed to trauma, poor sanitation, harassment, frequent sexual abuse, children molestation, forced labour, and neglect.
Most of the camps are crowded beyond capacity. For instance, The Teachers Village IDP camp in Maiduguri which can only accommodate 6,500 people comfortably has exceeded that capacity by miles. The camp currently has a population of 30,000 inhabitants. This poses serious challenges to how resources are distributed among the people. Lack of healthcare, security, education among other basic amenities makes life unbearable for the inhabitants.
Speaking about the challenges during his visit to an IDP camp in Maiduguri, the UNCHR Chief, Filippo Grandi admitted that humanitarian needs are still huge.
“There’s malnutrition, there’s still problem with access to water, shelter conditions and many protection problems, especially violence against women. These are terrible human experiences,” he said.
All is not gloomy
Despite the numerous challenges faced by people living in IDP camps, many of them, especially the children still find moments of happiness. Undoubtedly, there are some normal days when things are pleasant and the people engage with each other in a heartfelt manner.
