AN ASSESSMENT OF THE NIGERIAN-STATE AND THE EFFORTS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN KEBBI STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

In Nigeria, the number of individuals who have been forced to flee their homes because of the Boko Haram insurgency in the country's north-eastern region is growing at an alarming rate. According to the evaluation, 13.33 percent of the total number of internally displaced people were relocated as a consequence of communal confrontations, 0.99 percent were displaced as a result of natural catastrophes, and 85.68 percent were displaced as a result of insurgent assaults by Islamists (IOM, 2019).IOM (2019) reports that as of February of 2016, there were 2,241,484 individuals in Nigeria who were considered to be internally displaced persons (IDPs). According to the report, this number is particularly based on an assessment that was carried out from November to December 2015 by the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) team of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in 207 Local Government Areas (LGA) covering 13 States of Northern Nigeria. The figures for these areas are shown in the table below. In point of fact, although internally displaced persons (IDPs) are returning to their regular places of residence, others are continually being displaced, which makes it impossible to get precise and trustworthy figures about the number of IDPs in Nigeria. According to the United Nations (2019), the conflict between Boko Haram and governmental troops has been affecting the people of the north-eastern states of Nigeria since 2011. As a result, the government issued curfews and proclaimed a state of emergency (SoE) on May 14, 2013, in the three states located in the northeastern region of the country: Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa. According to the United Nations (2019), the vast majority of internally displaced persons are females and children, and more than ninety percent are housed in host families within areas that are themselves destitute, which places further strain on resources that are already in short supply. In 2014, there was a rise due to the rising violence that was brought on by the Boko Haram insurgency that was taking place in the northeastern area. Over the course of its history, Nigeria has been plagued by recurrent instances of population movement inside the country. In the backdrop of Nigeria, it is not hard to imagine what may have led to this terrifying circumstance. In the course of its history, the nation has often been struck by incidents or catastrophes that caused people to be uprooted and relocated from their homes of origin. For example, the civil war that broke out in Nigeria between the years of 1967 and 1970 caused a large number of people to be uprooted from their homes, particularly those who lived in the Eastern part of the nation. The nation continues to face significant difficulties on many fronts, including but not limited to interethnic conflicts, floods, desertification, and erosion. Sometimes the reasons for migration are difficult to nail down and frequently overlap with one another. According to Mohammed (2017), the majority of cases of internal displacement in Nigeria are the result of violent conflicts that have ethnic, religious, and/or political overtones. In other words, these conflicts drive people to leave their homes. Natural calamities, such as floods in the North and West, erosion in the East, and oil spills and development projects in the Niger Delta (South-South), are responsible for the internal displacement of thousands of people every year (Obikaeze, & Onuoha, 2016). Specifically, insurgency and armed conflicts in Nigeria have been the cause of many fatalities and deaths; however, there may not be accurate figures reflecting precisely the number of persons who lost their lives as a consequence of armed conflicts in Nigeria. Insurgency and armed conflicts in Nigeria have caused many losses and deaths. The war being waged by the terrorist organisation Boko Haram, whose religious doctrine is to create an Islamic caliphate that is founded on Sharia Law in the Northern area, is currently the most worrisome problem that we face today. The insurgency has not only led to a dramatic exodus of people from their homes and into camps for internally displaced persons (IDP), but it has also resulted in a significant migration of people into neighbouring nations, leading to a refugee crisis in those states. According to the findings of the first report published by the IOM, 85.68 percent of internally displaced people (IDPs) identified in the states of Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe had been forced from their homes as a direct result of the insurgency. 3.33 percent of people were uprooted from their homes as a direct result of violence amongst members of the local community. or natural disasters accounting for 0.99% (IOM, 2019). The majority of displaced people are staying with relatives in host communities that are themselves poor, which puts a significant demand on resources that are already in short supply and exacerbates the levels of poverty (particularly food and nutrition insecurity) in the areas that are being impacted by the crisis (Odey & Ushie, 2018). In spite of the consistent efforts of Nigerian military personnel stationed in the area, it is a well-known truth that Boko Haram-related violence in the northeastern part of Nigeria and the countries that border it is still ongoing. According to the United Nations and international media, there were more than 200 fatalities in northeastern Nigeria between June 27, 2015 and July 3, 2015 alone as a direct consequence of Boko Haram assaults since May 29, 2015. These attacks were reported practically daily by foreign media from May 29, 2015. IOM's Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) indicates that as of the month of June in 2015, assaults carried out by Boko Haram have resulted in the internal displacement of almost 1.4 million people in northeastern Nigeria. More than 1 million of these individuals were relocated inside the state of Borno alone. Following the return of 120,000 individuals to their regions of origin in Adamawa, this reflects a minor decline in the number of internally displaced persons, which went from over 1.5 million at the end of April to roughly 1.4 million by the end of June (United Nations, 2019). According to a research by USAID, as of May 2015, an estimated 168,000 individuals, including migrants who had previously left the country and returned, have fled to the neighbouring countries of Cameroon, Chad, and Niger. Access to the northeast of the country is very restricted as a result of the regularity with which insurgent strikes occur, despite the fact that the Nigerian military has said that it has crushed Boko Haram. It has been noticed that internally displaced persons (IDPs) continue to confront difficult conditions, particularly in the IDP camps, notwithstanding the efforts that have been made by the government of Nigeria. It was reported today that armed organisations have been carrying out brutal assaults on IDPs, which has resulted in the loss of the lives of innocent people. According to FRN (2015), internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria are subject to insecurity as well as all sorts of exploitation and abuse, including rape, camping in overcrowded shelters, and living in regions that are remote, unsafe, or unwelcoming. According to the assessment, the states of Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, and Taraba are at risk for food insecurity. This is mostly owing to the fact that the insurgency and displacement have resulted in a loss of incomes and livelihoods (Odey & Ushie, 2018). According to Ekpa and Dahlan (2015), the situation of people who have been forcibly relocated inside their own country is becoming more alarming and dangerous. Barriers to accessing healthcare services, education, employment, economic activities, and information for participation in decision making that affects their lives tend to increase a person's vulnerability, despite the fact that some efforts are made by humanitarian and faith-based organisations as well as government agencies to address some of the fundamental needs of IDPs. IDPs in Nigeria experience additional challenges, including a lack of access to justice, particularly in regard to incidents of human rights abuses such as discrimination against ethnic and religious minorities, sexual assault, and denial of means of livelihood (FRN, 2015). IDPs in Nigeria encounter these challenges in a number of different contexts. IDPs in Nigeria continue to provide the Nigerian government with a monumental obstacle in terms of rehabilitation, resettlement, and reintegration as a result of the unceasing terrorist assaults that have been taking place throughout the nation, most notably in the north-east. This situation lends credence to the assertion that there is a good chance that the number of internally displaced people will continue to rise so long as the Boko Haram insurgency is active. Therefore, the study assesses the Nigerian-State and the efforts in the Management of Internally Displaced Persons in Kebbi State.

1.2 Statement of the problem

According to Obikaze and Onuoha (2016), the terrorist actions carried out by the Boko Haram group in the North-East of the country have resulted in the displacement of a number of Nigerians, the destruction of a number of villages, the loss of parental care for a number of children, and the widowhood of a number of women. As a direct consequence of this, an increasing number of civilians are falling victim to the terrorist attacks carried out by Boko Haram. In response to these harsh realities, the state has established internally displaced people camps (also known as IDP camps) all over the conflict zones. However, there is a tendency for there to be serious cases of neglect and abandonment on the part of the state and her agents. This is because the people who are admitted into these IDP camps are not provided with adequate care, there are unanswered questions about the overall environment because access to healthcare, good water, and food is not guaranteed, and there are issues regarding the overall safety of the camps and its occupants, particularly women and children, as there have been reports of abuse of some females and child sexual assault. As a final step, the government of Nigeria established camps for internally displaced persons (IDPs) with the intention of providing temporary safe havens for those who were uprooted as part of the management of the IDP situation. The government has the goal of eventually relocating these Nigerians (IDPs) back to either their ancestral lands or, if that is not possible, to other peaceful places that are able to house them (Olanrewaju et al, 2019). However, it appears that the state has not made proper plans for their relocation or resettlement despite the fact that the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents has lasted for more than a decade. As a result, the region may not be safe for the people's return, and there are fears of the possible return of some of the previous returnees to IDP camps. In addition, there are fears of the possible return of some of the previous returnees to IDP camps. Hence, the study assess the Nigerian-State and the efforts in the Management of Internally Displaced Persons  in Kebbi State.

1.3  Objective of the study

The broad objective of the study is to assess the Nigerian-State and the efforts in the Management of Internally Displaced Persons  in Kebbi State. The broad objectives is as follows:

i.          Examine the role of the state government in the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

ii.        Ascertain the effectiveness of the state government towards the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

iii.      Assess the challenges encountered in the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria.

1.4  Research questions

The study will be guided by the following questions;

i.          What is the role of the state government in the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria?

ii.        What is the effectiveness of the state government towards the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria?

iii.      What are the challenges encountered in the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria?

1.6       Significance of the study

The findings of this research would provide useful information to state government as they will be exposed to the various challenges internally displaced persons go through in their day to day activities. Non-governmental organizations would also benefit from this study even as they worked with IDPs. The research will help the NGO to know to help those who suffer psychologically as a result of what they experienced that necessitate displacement from their homes. This study will provide useful information to the general public. It will provide useful educational materials in the libraries. This study will provide useful literature for further researchers who will conduct related research in the future.

1.7       Scope of the study

The study focuses on the Nigerian-State and the efforts in the Management of Internally Displaced Persons  in Kebbi State. Hence, the study will examine the role of the state government in the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State,Nigeria, ascertain the effectiveness of the state government towards the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State, Nigeria and assess the challenges encountered in the management of internally displaced persons  in Kebbi State. Hence, the study is delimited to IDP camp in Kebbi State.

1.8       Limitations of the study

Like in every human endeavour, the researchers encountered slight constraints while carrying out the study. Insufficient funds tend to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature, or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire, and interview), which is why the researcher resorted to a moderate choice of sample size. More so, the researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. As a result, the amount of time spent on research will be reduced.

1.9       Definition of terms

IDP: internally displaced persons