A SURVEY STUDY ON THE EFFECT  OF INTERNAL DISPLACEMENT ON HUMAN SECURITY IN BENUE STATE, NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Many people feel that the modern world is unsafe and full of threats from all sides. Natural disasters, armed wars, extreme poverty, ongoing pandemics, international terrorism, and abrupt economic and financial downturns cause severe suffering and jeopardize possibilities for peace, stability, and sustainable development. Human security refers to the value of life of the people of a particular society. However, anything that reduces the quality of life, which could include; conflict, scarcity of vital resources, environmental degradation or demographic pressures, infringes on human security is considered a threat to human security (Dhirathiti, 2017). In its most basic form, issues ranging from poverty, unemployment, conflict, violence, sicknesses and diseases to environmental degradation, natural disasters, domestic violence, transnational crimes, and human rights abuses constitute factors which cause insecurity in individuals thereby leading to displacement of these persons from their habitual homes (Betts, et al., 2016).

In addition, one of the significant symptoms of human insecurity crises is internally displaced persons. As opined by the United Nations Guiding Principles, these are ‘persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence, in particular as a result of or in order to avoid the effects of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violations of human rights or natural or human-made disasters, and who have not crossed an internationally recognized state border’ (Oladeji, 2015, p. 44). However, internally displaced persons receive little or no attention from the government of their habitual residence. These persons leave their comfort for a life of uncertainty elsewhere which triggers insecurity from within them coupled with the minimal attention received from government thereby exposing these people to economic threats, health threats, personal threats, political threats, environmental threats and community threats. Great concerns have been generated by both local and international agencies due to the poor living conditions of these persons which in turn, leads to poor sanitations therefore raise in sicknesses and diseases (Emmanuelar, 2015). Importantly, internally displaced persons become dependent on others for basic amenities either on the host community or external intervention (Brookings, 2008). With all these, internally displaced persons’ crises make it very difficult for the government to actualize the Millennium Sustainable Goals (Osagioduwa & Oluwakorede, 2016).

Furthermore, human displacement remains one of the most significant humanitarian challenges facing the world. Of the 33.3 million internally displaced persons in the world (exclusive of the development-induced displacement), 15 million internally displaced persons can be found in Africa, with an increase of 7.5% between 2013 and 2014 and Nigeria hosting over 3.300,000 IDPs (Osagioduwa & Oluwakorede, 2016, p. 194). On the other hand, the issue of human displacement in Africa involves more of internally displaced persons than refugees (United Nations Human Committee on Rights [UNHCR], 2012). This is due to the fact that after the Cold War, armed conflict took on a new dimension to include wars between non-state actors within the state and the sovereign state unlike the pre-Cold War era which saw armed conflict as conflict between sovereign states (Emmanuelar, 2015). As the number of internally displaced persons continue to increase, attempts at mitigating this crisis becomes more challenging for troubled countries. Notably, global efforts at managing displacement have concentrated more on refugees than internally displaced persons, yet the internally displaced person’s crisis equally constitutes a challenge to global civilization (Osagioduwa & Oluwakorede, 2016).

In Nigeria, the post-election violence of 2011 saw about 65,000 persons internally displaced in the Northern part of the country (Osagioduwa & Oluwakorede, 2016). An estimation by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reports that from July to October, 2012, a total of 2.1 million residents were sacked by flood in Nigeria. Between January, 2013 and February, 2014, about 470,565 and 143,164 persons were displaced in Nigeria by internal conflicts and natural disasters, respectively, while internal displacement cuts across 24 states of the federation (Osagioduwa & Oluwakorede, 2016, p. 195). Reports have shown that a good number of persons are displaced as results of both federal and state governments’ activities such as demolitions, the oil explorations in the Niger-Delta region leading to environmental degradation and pollution, loss of the people’s sources of livelihood in the region. Under the Governor Fashola’s led administration, over 1 million people were displaced from the demolition of Ijora, Oshodi, Makoko and many other communities (Hamzat, 2013, p. 1). Although the causes of displacement differ, armed conflict and other forms of mass violence are the major causes of human displacement in the country. Since 2009 however, continuous and recurrent violence caused by Boko Haram insurgency in the Northern region of the country has resulted in the rapid increase of the number of internally displaced persons in the region. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) recorded over 1 million internally displaced persons as of April 2015. However, the number of internally displaced persons as at December 2015 increased to over 2 million IDPs in the region. This is evident due to the Boko Haram insurgency which is identified as the major cause of the internal displacement of people in the region with a percentage of 91.98% (Alobo & Obaji, 2016, p. 30). Moreover, just like the number of recorded internally displaced persons in the Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM) increased from 390,000 at December 2014 to more than 2 million at December, 2015 (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs [OCHA], 2015, p. 3).

Benue  state  like  most  states  in  Nigeria’s north-west,    north-central    and    north-east regions   has   played   host   to   a   growing population  of  IDPs  in  recent  years.  As  at January  2019  alone,  no  fewer  than  483,  669 persons   had   already   being   displaced   by herdsmen   attacks   in   Benue   state   (Sahara Reporters,  2019).  And  by  January  2021  the population  of  IDPs  in  the  state  had  risen  to over  1.597  million  persons  (Godwin,  2021). Furthermore,  by  mid  June,  2022  there  were still   about   1.5   million   IDPs   resident   in various  camps  in  the  state  that  could  not return   to   their   homes   for   fear   of   being kidnapped   (Vanguard,   2022).

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The challenges confronting the Internally Displaced Persons in Benue State are numerous. People are been  forced from their homes, IDPs also experience specific forms of deprivation, such as lose of shelter and often face heightened tension or particular protection risks. These risks may include: armed attacks and abuse while fleeing in search of safety; family separation, including an increase in the number of separated and unaccompanied children; heightened risk of sexual and gender-based violence, particularly effecting women and children; arbitrary deprivation of land, homes and other properties; and displacement into inhospitable environments, where they suffer stigma and marginalization, discrimination or harassment.

 Also, inadequate government support as a result of a lack of resources and a refusal to intervene in the IDP crises in Benue State has caused the IDPs in both the official and unauthorized camps dispersed throughout the state to become more vulnerable.  A research  conducted by Ukase and Jato 2022, shows that though there have been supports from both the state and Federal governments, humanitarian aid and assistance from donor agencies and other public-spirited bodies; more urgent interventions are needed in the areas of shelter, food, education, health, clothing and access to employment for the vulnerable IDP family across Benue state so as to address the growing humanitarian crises faced by displaced person in the state. The duo believe that the conditions of lack have both short and long term negative effects on both the IDPs and the future generation in Benue state.

Furthermore, challenge confronting IDPs in Benue state is food scarcity. Study shows that not only is the available food rationed in the camps, the quality of the food provided is poor. For instance, the quality of food provided sometimes lacks basic ingredients and nutrients, thereby leading to malnutrition, illness and in some cases death. Inadequate clothing is another problem identified among IDPs in Benue state. Clothing is a basic human need, therefore the lack of it poses both health and human dignity challenges.

It is in the light of these that the study seeks to conduct a survey on the effects of internal displacement on human security in Benue state

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to assess the impact of internal displacement on human security in northern Nigeria. Specifically, the study will;

1.        Identify the causes of terrorism as a major factor associated with internal displacement in Benue state.

2.        Determine the extent of human displacement in Benue state.

3.        Ascertain the effect of internal displacement on human security in Benue state.

4.        Find out the effectiveness of the state government in the management of internal displacement on human security in Benue state.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

1.        What the causes of terrorism as a major factor associated with internal displacement in Benue state?

2.        What is the extent of human displacement in Benue state?

3.        What is the effect of internal displacement on human security in Benue state?

4.        What are the effectiveness of the state government in the management of internal displacement on human security in Benue state?

1.5 Significant of the Study

A survey study on the effects of internal displacement on human security will be revealed to the government at various levels, stakeholders involved in IDPs policies, humanitarian, internationally bodies and  internally displaced persons. It will additionally enlighten the masses, donor agencies, faith-based organizations and civil

societies to coordinate relief efforts for internal displaced persons and camps. Furthermore, this research will be useful to media house to disseminate information to  a large population regarding security measures and policies put in place to combat internal displacement crises in Benue state.

Additionally, subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to a survey study on the the effect of Internal Displacement on Human Security in Benue state.

1.6 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on a survey study on the effects of internal displacement on human security. Theoretically, this study will discuss  the causes of terrorism as a factor to internal displacement, the significant relationship between internal displacement and human security in the Benue state, the  factors that causes increase in the number of internally displaced persons in Benue state and the policies and strategic measures put in place to combat internal displacement crises. Geographically, the study will be delimited to people in Agatu local government, Benue state, Nigeria.

1.7 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents.

In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed.

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

1.8 Definition of Terms.

Assessment:  to evaluate or appraise someone or something.

Internal Displacement: also known as IDPs are persons or groups of persons who have been forced or obliged to flee or to leave their homes or places of habitual residence.

Security: the state of being free from danger or threat.

Human Security: refers to the security of people and communities, as opposed to the security of states.

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