Controversy over ‘IDP camp’ in Edo State

Edo State government officials recently claimed to have discovered a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in a locality which turned out is managed by a group registered as the International Christian Centre in Uhogua, Edo State. Housing approximately 1,400 people, out of which over 900 are children; the camp’s administrators claim the inmates are […]

Edo State government officials recently claimed to have discovered a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in a locality which turned out is managed by a group registered as the International Christian Centre in Uhogua, Edo State. Housing approximately 1,400 people, out of which over 900 are children; the camp’s administrators claim the inmates are IDPs who escaped from conflict areas in the North East region. Their location came to public attention when a combined team of armed Nigeria Police personnel, Civil Defence Corps and Department of State Security (DSS) operatives arrived with about 40 commercial transport buses to relocate them to Kano and Jigawa without any prior notice. Although Edo State government claimed no knowledge of the camp, the state’s Commissioner for Women’s Affairs said security operatives told her the relocation instruction was from “the presidency”. The attempted forced relocation created uproar there.  According to the camp overseer, Solomon Folorunsho, he depends on donations from faith-based organizations, institutions and individuals and has been providing food and shelter for IDPs since 2013. He said that the children were brought to Benin from Borno and Adamawa states through Jos the Plateau State capital. Trying to explain their presence in the camp, Folorunsho said he received phone calls to help “rescue” orphaned children from the North East who were “roaming the streets”. He said a “Committee of Pastors” was organized and they went around gathering up children and transporting them to Benin. He claimed that the Edo State Ministry of Women’s Affairs was “informed recently” but they are yet to get a response.
In a turnaround, and reacting to the publicity, the Edo State governor, Mr Adams Oshiomhole, visited the camp for an on-the-spot assessment. Accompanied by the State Commissioner of Police, other top security officials and bearing relief materials, the governor dispelled the notion of relocating the IDPs, and pledged rather to provide all necessary facilities required in proper management of camp routine, including a primary and secondary school, a hostel and medical facilities.
The issue of catering for IDPs, especially the children, must be handled well. The current haphazard approach has resulted in a proliferation of unapproved camps throughout the nation. For example, in the Federal Capital Territory, eight of such locations exist where IDPs stay. There could be more.  Although the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) claims ignorance of such camps, they have been thronged by non-governmental organizations and relief agencies that use them to seek funds from government and foreign agencies. NEMA officials complain that some unscrupulous people claim to be IDPs as a relief to unemployment, and proliferation of private “camps” hampers efforts to sort out genuine IDPs from imposters.
The Edo State issue leaves many questions unanswered. The state governor as Chief Security Officer, the Police Commissioner and Head of State Security Service denied knowledge of the camp or the proposal to forcibly relocate it; who then was responsible for the security agencies that moved to comply with the ‘order from the presidency’, and video recording of the process? Who paid for the fleet of chartered commercial buses?  Were the camps in Kano or Jigawa primed to get ready to receive that large number of people or was the plan to drop them off anywhere in these states? If IDPs had been there since 2013 as claimed, why was the state government only informed recently? Why did the camp operators contact the Edo State Ministry of Women’s Affairs only, instead of including NEMA, which is responsible for such matters? If the camp lacked infrastructure or facilities to cope, then why did they bring children there?  Is it legal for “pastors” to travel round the country gathering up children and relocating them without authority?