Internally Displaced Persons deserve quick attention, right now!

There’s no doubt that the internally displaced persons in Nigeria have suffered from serious violation to their rights to life, to health and adequate housing.

Not only has the government not been able to tackle the threats to the lives of the Nigerians living in the North East region of the country, they have also failed in their responsibility to rehabilitate and provide succour for the victims of a tumultuous circumstance.

The response of the government to the conditions in most IDP camps in the country has been grossly inadequate. Even in the few cases where government has catered duly for the internally displaced people, some bottlenecks in the camps’ leadership have depleted the resources meant for the unfortunate Nigerians for their personal gains.

I’m sure even those living in the IDP camps do sometimes feel they are roaming in the wilds.

Are their lives better off as compared to when they had to sleep with their eyes wide open prior to the invasion of their various communities and villages by insurgents whose mental capacities have been buried in Sambisa forest? Or can they even afford to sleep in the IDP camps with their eyes closed?

Ordinarily, it is only vile that they have being forcibly displaced out of their place of abode, however shouldn’t the IDP camps provide a place of solace? Instead the camps have served as constant reminders for the lives they’ve lost and the lives they might never have again.

Nigeria has over three million internally displaced persons around the country, people that have been forced to give up their probably sub-par but cherished lives for a chance at safety and peace of mind. They say when there is life there is hope, albeit does the IDP camps really provide hope for the many victims of circumstance?

In as much as the government has been combative in tackling the activities of the misguided Boko Haram terrorist group, the people who have lost their dwelling place and means of livelihood to the ugly situation in the Northern plexus of the country should be adequately catered for. The Government cannot put all within its Arsenal in bringing to normalcy the endless blood-letting scenes played out freely by the insurgents, while those at the receiving end of the attacks are left to their fate.

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The Nigerians who have been made refugees in their own country as a result of a nation at war with itself deserve a better life; it’s their fundamental human right. Let the people that are saddled with the responsibility of seeing to their well-being stop acting like they are doing them a favour; they are not there of their own volition.

Worse still, the contributions and donations from well meaning Nigerians to the IDP camps is even deprived them as a result of the greed of some persons in high positions who should be responsible for their upkeep, as was wildly reported about the IDP camp in Abuja, where the contributions, donations and funds from corporate entities and well-meaning Nigerians meant for the distant IDP camps are coveted by the leaders of the camp.

This situation is really worrisome and should be looked into by the appropriate bodies.

According to a 2014 statistics, Nigeria has an alarming number of 3.3 million internally displaced people which is the third highest index in the world, out of which 650,000 are displaced within the boundaries of Nigeria, according to UNHCR. The Federal Government itself, believes the number to be slightly lower than 1 million yet, only 100,000 seems to be in the over 21 IDP camps across Northern Nigeria.

So, what is the fate of the over 700,000 not found within the walls of the IDP camps in Northern Nigeria? Have they been left to their own devices? When this insurgency ends, what then will be the fate of the victims of this unfathomable insanity?

This situation indeed calls for urgent attention as we hope for a quick end to the misadventure in the north.