Challenges and prospects of I.D.P management in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges and prospects of the management of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) within the Nigerian context. This work has special interest in ascertaining the remote and the immediate causes of why we have Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with peculiar interest in the three crisis ridden states of the North-East (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe Sates), underscoring the challenges confronting the Nigerian government in its struggle in the management of IDPs, with recommendations on the possible methodologies of handling the menace of IDPs in Nigeria. A lot of studies have been undertaking to underscore the root-cause(s) of the growing IDPs and the possible solutions to the crisis. But these studies have however, failed to give attention to context-specifics, robust and sustainable approaches to the crisis relating to the growing IDPs. To achieve these objectives, this paper made use of secondary sources of data with descriptive method of data analysis and equally adopted Human Security Theory and Elite Theory for better elucidation on the subject matter. The paper made a discovery that the upsurge in the growing number of Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria is sequel to the cumulative leadership failures over the years, corruption, hypocrisy of the government, religious bigotry, unhealthy power politics, catastrophic ethnic insurgencies, protracted violent conflict between cattle herders and the farmers etc. This work equally underpins some discoveries about the efforts of the government in the management of the Internally Displaced Persons which have not yielded the desired results as a result of inadequate funding and diversion of funds and relief materials meant for the IDPs in their various camps and/or locations. This paper therefore recommends that there is need for the government to increase its appropriation for the Internally Displaced Persons and equally ensure prompt distribution and judicious use of the IDPs’ funds and materials. This paper also strongly recommends ‘’punitive measures’’ against any official or officials found wanting in the management of the resources meant for the IDPs.