CHALLENGES HINDERING THE MANAGEMENT OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN NORTH-EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

The rate of internally displaced persons in the Northeastern Nigeria occasioned by the violent attacks perpetrated by the Boko Haram insurgency is highly alarming. Even though both federal and governments of states in that region have made efforts to address the plights of IDPs by providing IDPs camps, many of such displaced persons are still facing severe socio-economic, health and environmental challenges. These include joblessness, insecurity, lack of foods and good drinking water, overcrowding and poor sanitation in their camps across the states of Northeast. This situation has in some occasions forced the IDPs to even flee the camps thereby worsening their predicaments. This study examines the challenges hindering the management of IDPs in North-Eastern Nigeria. The gatekeeper state theory was employed as theoretical framework. Both primary and secondary methods were utilized. The study relied on the interview source of primary method while secondary data was collected via documentary approach and analyzed through content analysis. The study found out that there is gross negligence by the country in the assistance and protection of IDPs as far as International law is concerned. In addition, there is evidence of gross violation of IDPs rights in Nigeria as the capacity of the institutions created to effectively manage their affairs is limited. It was also revealed that the effective management of IDPs in Nigeria is being hampered by several challenges, the most common cause of which are corruption, continuous insecurity, mistrust and diversion of relief materials. Redressing internal displacement points to lack of sincerity on the part of the manager. It’s therefore recommended that there should be institutional centralization of the national humanitarian agencies to avoid the clash of the interest and duplication of roles by various international humanitarian organizations.