Lara Adejoro
A recent survey jointly carried out by the International Organisation for Migration, the Federal Government, the National Bureau of Statistics, the Nigeria Red Cross Society, and other humanitarian partners has shown that 38 per cent of the Internally Displaced Persons in the North-East prefer to integrate within host communities.
Based on the survey titled, ‘Intention Survey: Voices of Internally Displaced Persons in North-East Nigeria,’ carried out between November 16 and December 18, 2023, the IDPs in the camps and camp-like settings cited security as the major reason for the preference, according to the report.
According to IOM, the survey was meant to shed light on the voices and preferences of IDPs regarding their choice of durable solutions among the three conventional options, namely voluntary return to places of origin, voluntary local integration, and voluntary relocation elsewhere in the country.
The organisation said the displacement crisis in the North-East was one of the world’s most complex with more than 2.3 million people displaced by violence linked to the actions of non-state armed groups, inter-communal clashes as well the compounded effects of climate change and environmental degradation.
It stated that since the onset of the crisis, the IOM, through the Displacement Tracking Matrix had played an essential role in gathering and analysing data to disseminate critical multi-layered information on the mobility, vulnerabilities, and needs of displaced and mobile populations that enables decision-makers and responders to provide this emergency humanitarian assistance as well as longer-term solutions.
The survey stated, “More than 25,000 IDP families living across 107 Local Government Areas, and 837 wards in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe States were surveyed between November 16 and December 18, 2023 as part of the report.
“The cumulative findings across the six states showed that 38 per cent of IDPs in both camps and camp-like settings and in the host communities would prefer to integrate within the host communities, citing security as the major reason for this preference.
“The report also reveals that 37 per cent of the IDPs surveyed wish to return to their communities of origin, providing that adequate living conditions are ensured. Only two per cent intended to relocate to another LGA or state,” the report revealed.
IOM Nigeria Chief of Mission, Laurent de Boeck, said the publication of the report jointly prepared with federal and state agencies as well as humanitarian partners in the north-east is a testament to the collective commitment to data-driven decision-making.
“It underscores the necessity of listening to the voices of the displaced in the formulation of policies and interventions.
“Looking at displaced families’ major concerns and challenges to return, the report ranked hunger and insufficient nutrition as the top issues mentioned by an overwhelming 90 per cent of the respondents.
“Unemployment and housing conditions are also the cause of worry for a large percentage of the among them. For those wishing to return, most have declared the lack of financial resources, as well as the absence of basic social services and economic opportunities as barriers for them making the move.”
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