SURVIVING HUMANITARIAN CRISIS IN NIGERIA: COPING STRATEGIES OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) IN BENUE STATE, NORTHCENTRAL, NIGERIA
Journal Title: WUKARI INTERNATIONAL STUDIES JOURNAL - Year 2024, Vol 8, Issue 3
Abstract
For more than two decades now, farmers-herders’ crisis have rendered more than 1.5 million people displaced, and several hundred maimed and killed. Although internally displaced persons remain the sole responsibility of Government, while CSOs gives helping hand, Government have failed to bring a lasting solution to the protracted war; relationship between CSOs and State have been described to be inchoate and adversarial leading to further failure in the role of complementarity expected to bring succour to the IDP. The IDP therefore remain in very inhabitable conditions, for which they have to, through resilience, design survival strategies for themselves as individuals, households and community. Although literature abound on IDP in Benue state, less has been done to theoretically and empirically foreground and document the means of survival by the internally displaced persons in the face of state fragility. It is this yawning gap this study intends to fill. The study argues that government and CSOs inchoate interventions have left the IDP with the option of fending for their needs; and this, have led to reducing sufferings, as well as lessening dependence on epileptic humanitarian aids; thereby enhancing and self-reliance. Drawing from the human needs theory, this study examines displacement and its impact on productivity, IDP needs, interventions and coping strategies. Qualitative approach was adopted to include primary and secondary sources. Primary sources include oral interviews; such as key informant interviews, and in-depth interviews; with the aid of unstructured interview guide. Secondary sources include published scholarly works. Collected data were qualitatively analysed, using descriptive statistics. Findings reveal CSOs and State inadequacies in meeting the basic needs of the IDP; this have made the IDP to resort to street begging, petty stealing in and outside IDP camps; prostitution among aged women, adult ladies, teenagers and even children or minors; the study establishes that inadequate care to the IDP can lead to epidemics breakout, internal insecurity for the IDP and the community hosting them; thereby leading to environmental and community security threats. The study recommends skills development centres for IDP; actionable policies to end the crisis leading to displacement; and the need for all stakeholders to focus on sustainable development interventions, rather than just relief interventions.
Authors and Affiliations
ISAAC OLAWALE ALBERT, JOEL ABAH
Keywords
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