Inside Nigeria’s Internally Displaced Persons Camps: Safe Haven or Den of Marauders

Abstract

In Nigeria, the internal displacement of civilians dates back to the era of the pogrom and attendant civil war in the 1960s. Subsequent cases were attributable to natural and human-made factors. The flare-up of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009 has over time caused the large-scale displacement of civilians in the northeast region. In line with humanitarian principles, the government created various camps to accommodate internally displaced persons (IDPs), where they could receive humanitarian assistance. This work examines harsh conditions in the camps, amid widespread shortages and abuses. It has been established that IDPs have been subjected to sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) by state officials. Violations of this nature, which occur in the context of armed conflict, constitute crimes punishable under national and international laws. However, the government has not held anyone accountable, thus turning the IDP camps from safe haven to dens of predators. It is therefore recommended that individuals responsible for sexual abuses and other violations should be prosecuted. The government should rejig security, tackle corruption in the camps and ensure relief materials get to the IDPs. The government should address the conflict decisively to enable safe return of IDPs to their traditional homes.