The Federal Government has restated its commitment to provide durable solutions to approximately six million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) through a collaborative and inclusive process.
Alhaji Tijani Ahmed, Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), made this statement in Abuja on Tuesday during a two-day review and finalisation meeting.
The meeting on the Draft National Action Plan on Durable Solutions for IDPs in Nigeria was themed,” is “Strengthening the National Durable Solutions Architecture in Nigeria through a Collaborative and Inclusive Process.
Ahmed highlighted the Commission’s initiatives, including agric empowerment programmes and planned construction of skills centres in six geopolitical zones, aimed at making IDPs self-reliant.
“The National Action Plan on Durable Solution is aimed at enhancing the implementation of durable solutions in a coherent and coordinated manner.”
He emphasised the need for a coordinated, inclusive, and holistic approach to address internal displacement in Nigeria.
According to Ahmed, administrative data indicates about 6.1 million IDPs in Nigeria, including returnees, while the International Organisation for Migration’s Displacement Tracking Matrix reported 3.6 million displaced persons as of July 31, 2024.
He acknowledged Nigeria’s position among countries with the highest number of internal displacements, necessitating durable solutions.
Ahmed attributed displacement in Nigeria to both man-made crises and natural disasters.
He noted that state governments, such as Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and Benue, have inaugurated their State Action Plans on durable solutions using a bottom-up approach.
“As some of you may be aware, Section 28 of the NCFRMI Act 2022 states that: The Commission shall be responsible for the provision of durable solutions to internally displaced persons.
“It shall collaborate with other relevant MDAs, international agencies and civil society organisations in matters relating to
internally displaced persons for the provision of durable solutions.
“The commission is therefore, bound by law to address the issue of durable solutions for forcibly displaced populations in Nigeria.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu is committed to providing sustainable solutions to internal displacement in Nigeria.
“To this end, our common aspiration is to emplace a nationally led and home-grown Durable Solutions Strategy for the prevention of new displacements and for the betterment of the displaced in our society,” he said.
Inna Audu, Special Assistant to the President on Humanitarian Affairs and Development Partners, Office of the Vice President, commended the initiative as a unifying strategy towards effective implementation of durable solutions for IDPs.
She highlighted the Vice President’s launch of durable solution plans for Adamawa, Borno, Yobe, and Benue State, emphasising the need for collaboration and a unified strategy.
“The Vice President so far has launched the durable solution plans for Adamawa, Borno, Yobe and Benue State, monitoring the progress of how these plans have been implemented in the states.
“So far, we are now ready to implement some of these strategies, a very good initiative that the Commission has taken to finalise its own policy.
“So in bringing in the states that have already launched their own plan, there’s this collaboration to unify the strategy so that at the end of the day, we are all on the same page,” Audu said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the programme was organised by the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons in partnership with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. (NAN)
