AFCON 2023: Crucial Water, Food Shortages Threaten 2 Million IDPs in Nigeria’s North East.
Over two million internally displaced persons (IDPs) around states in the North East face scarcity of essential services.
Resource persons who disclosed this at a workshop in the Adamawa State capital, Yola, put the precise number at 2,367,554 IDPs, forced into displacement mostly by Boko Haram attackers, mainly between 2014 and 2020.
Putting the number of IDPs in Adamawa State alone at 223,910, the resource persons said, “A significant number of these IDPs are living with host community families.
This large number highlights the burden on host communities and the potential strain on resources.”
The resource persons, Dr Robert Onyeneke and Dr Ahmadu Tafida, in their paper presentation at an inception workshop on ‘Vulnerability to Changes In Water Systems of Conflict-Affected Communities in Adamawa State’, said only 18 per cent of IDPs have access to safe nutrition service.
This happens, they said, because, among other variables, displacement causes disruptions in agriculture and food supply, leading to increased food insecurity.
Identifying that IDPs face significant gaps in nutrition and other basic services, they have better access to education for their children.
Reiterating that insurgency attacks and natural disasters as key drivers of displacement, the resource persons recommended proactive measures in disaster management, namely the implementation of anticipatory actions by the government and other authorities to prevent displacement or mitigate its effect.
The inception workshop was organized by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), with support from some other organisations, for the presentation of the researched paper by the resource persons.
The Regional Researcher, Climate Adaptation & Governance of IWMI, Dr Okem Andrew Emmanuel, said the Inception Workshop in Yola assembled stakeholders involved in the humanitarian sector, particularly those having to do with issues relating to water in the context of fragility, conflict and displacement.
