The Federal Government of Nigeria said on Tuesday that it will soon adopt a fresh policy for the rehabilitation and re-integration of Internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the country.
The insurgency in the north eastern part of the country has displaced thousands of people in recent time.
The Federal Commissioner for the National Commission for Refugees, migrants and Internally displaced persons, NCFRMI, Hadiza Sanni Kangiwa said at a post IDP conference advocacy mission in Abuja that the policy will ensure the prevention and protection of Nigerians and even non Nigerians from incidences of displacement and ensure their rehabilitation, resettlement, return or reintegration after displacement.
She explained that the commission in 2012 organized a high level meeting with relevant stakeholders in the area of protection, care and maintenance of internally displaced persons.
According to her, the result of the summit was the birth of draft National Policy on internal displacement that outlined the rights and obligation of IDPs, the responsibilities of government, humanitarian agencies, host communities and armed groups in a humanitarian crisis.
“The draft policy drew consultation from several relevant national agencies, UN agencies, INGOs, NGOs, CSOs and members of the academia and was validated by the meeting in July 2012,” she said.
Kangiwa also assured that the government of Nigeria will continue to be committed to the principles of international protection towards IDPs, Refugees, Asylum seekers, stateless persons and indeed all persons in need of protection.
Also, the country representative of United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR), Mrs. Angele Dikongue Atangana, said the commission will continue to support the sensitization and advocacy mission in Nigeria and the country’s commendable response to internal displacement, which we hope will highlight some best practices that could serve as a model to other ECOWAS countries who have yet to embark on domestication process.
She stated that Nigeria has been a pioneer in the IDP- related fora as the first conference on the issue which was held in Abuja in 2006 entered into discussions that subsequently led to the drafting and adoption of the Kampala Convention in October 2009.
