NIGERIA: SECURITY CONCERNS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS LIVING IN NON-CAMP SETTINGS IN KWARA STATE

Abstract

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) seek refuge in territories that are considered safer, including outside officially designated camps. This development raises security concerns for host communications, thus increasing the likelihood of conflict. This paper set out to unveil the presence of IDPs in non-camp settings (NCS) in Kwara State, examine the security implications associated with their covert existence within host communities, and evaluate the strategies put in place by the State Government to address them. The study adopted a mixed method approach, in which 200 copies of a questionnaire were distributed to local participants in selected towns, out of which 188 copies were retrieved. A snowball technique was used to identify unregistered IDPs while a purposive sampling technique was useful in the selection of key informants for interviews. The study found that the security implications of hosting IDPs were numerous: feelings of insecu rity, a threat to physical and mental health, a threat to life, vulnerability to harassment; increas ing demographic imbalance, and condescending attitude of the host population among others. The study concluded that a high level of impoverishment in NCS threatens human security for both the host population and the IDPs. The study recommended that the Kwara State Government should synergize with relevant stakeholders and the local communities, to identify and profile all victims of internal displacement for an effective response to security challenges. Keywords: Security, Internal Displacement, non-camp setting, host community, Kwara.