Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo says there is an urgent need for the government to develop a comprehensive approach, including emergency assistance, rehabilitation, and reintegration to provide durable solutions for victims of bandit attacks across the country.
He made the remarks at a summit themed “From Camps to Justice and Communities,” organized by House of Justice, a non-governmental organization, in Kaduna.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Ade Ipaye, Osinbajo said the current wave of insecurity requires practical, effective, and urgent solutions, as well as concerted efforts from the government, humanitarian groups, and the international community.
“I believe that by working together, we can find solutions to the growing problems of IDPs in Nigeria and ensure that they receive the support and protection they need”
” The range of credible stakeholders participating at this summit is impressive, and I look forward to some well thought out conclusions, recommendations and action guides with which governments and all concerned organisations and persons can wrestle and defeat this monster.”
In a Keynote address, the Chairman Nigerian Law Reform Commission Professor Dakas C.J. Dakas, urged Federal Government to domesticate the Campala Convention on IDPs which provides a strong legal framework to ensure governments are responsible for protecting displaced people.
He argued that negotiations with bandits or terrorists is a position of weakness which must be discouraged and instead ensure that justice be given to the victims.
According to the Law Reform Chairman, the over Three million people said to be displaced in the country is actually the widest populations of Mediterranean countries.
Chief Executive Officer House of Justice Barrister Gloria Mabeiam Ballason acknowledged that while there are reports from official sources and high ranking politicians on how Nigeria got to this sorry state, Nigeria collectively owe it a duty to pull the country from self inflicted destruction.
“We must now centre conversations and interventions at ensuring Nigeria is safe for all and protect our children from this carnage for our future and the continuation of our species depends on their safety.”
We must forge a common front against these insurgents and not cross swords against ourselves. We have lost too much. We cannot afford to lose ourselves; for we are all we have.”
She stated that the violence has displaced millions of people internally and forced hundreds of thousands more to flee to neighboring countries like Cameroon, Chad, and Niger.
Gloria Ballason maintained that in states like Plateau, Benue,Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger and of recent Kwara, hundreds of communities have been displaced and replaced by insurgents some of whom have gained the audacity to rename those communities.
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