Nigeria Has over 2.1 Million Internally Displaced Persons – IOM

There are over 2.1 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), representing more than 300,000 households in parts of northern Nigeria. 

[Photo: Internally Displaced Persons in Nigeria (IDP) camp]

This is according to fifth round of the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) report produced by the International Organization for Migration (IOM). 

The recent spike in attacks by insurgents in north eastern Nigeria has given rise to steady increase of displacement in the country.

Released yesterday (03/09), in Abuja, the report reveals the results of tracking displaced populations in the six north east states covered in the previous four rounds of the DTM, Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe plus Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja.

The increase in the number of IDPs from 1.3 million as indicated in the last DTM report is mainly attributed to the intensification of attacks carried out by insurgents as well as the improved access to some of the affected areas in Borno State where the IDP population is now well over 1.6 million.

The report also reveals that the majority of the IDPs (92%) who were displaced as a result of the insurgency live within the host communities while the rest live in camps or camp-like sites. Major needs expressed by the IDPs are for food (58%), followed by the need for shelter (13%) and non-food items (NFI) 7%.

Enira Krdzalic, IOM Chief of Mission in Nigeria points out that “Many IDPs, especially in host communities are yet to receive basic and important needs like food and shelter. 

“It is very important for Nigerian authorities and humanitarian partners to speed up activities on the ground and quicken the process of providing adequate assistance to the unattended displaced persons.”

Since October 2014, IOM has been implementing the DTM programme in close collaboration with the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and the Nigerian Red Cross Society (NRCS). 

The process includes assessment at local government level (LGA) and wards, site assessment as well as registration in camps and host communities.

The first four DTM reports had limited their scope to just the six northeast states (Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe). However, following the request of NEMA, DTM activities have extended to other states in north central and northwestern parts of Nigeria.

All Nigeria DTM reports and interactive maps can be found at: http://nigeria.iom.int/dtm.

[Courtesy: IOM]

For Diaspora Digital Media Updates click on Whatsapp, or Telegram. For eyewitness accounts/ reports/ articles, write to: citizenreports@diasporadigitalmedia.com. Follow us on X (Fomerly Twitter) or Facebook