The International Organisation of Migration (IOM) said the displacement crisis in Nigeria’s North-East is one of the world’s most complex, affecting over 2.3 million persons.
The Nigerian Chief of Mission of the International Organisation of Migration (IOM), Laurent de Boeck, raised the alarm in Maiduguri in a new report entitled “Intention Survey: Voices of Internally Displaced Persons in North East Nigeria.”
He said the massive displacement is linked to violence and the actions of non-state armed groups, as well as inter-communal clashes.
He also noted that the effects of climate change and environmental degradation fueled the displacement of persons in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe states.
“Since the onset of the crisis, IOM, through the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM), has played an essential role in gathering and analyzing data.
“The DTM enables decision-makers and responders to provide this emergency humanitarian assistance, as well as longer-term solutions,” Boeck stated.
The IOM boss explained that the data were to disseminate critical multi-layered information on the mobility, vulnerabilities, and needs of displaced and mobile populations.
“Over 25,000 displaced families living across 107 local councils and 837 wards in Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Taraba, and Yobe states were surveyed between November 16 and December 18, 2023.
“The cumulative findings across the six states showed that 38 percent of IDPs in camps and camp-like settings as well as host communities would prefer to integrate within the host communities,” the report said .
The IOM boss, therefore, recommended that there should be stronger synergies between government and non-governmental organisations in the return and reintegration of displaced persons.
Displacement of over 2.3m IDPs in North East Nigeria most complex – IOM raises concern