By Olatunde Moyinoluwa

Introduction
‘We heard on the radio that the government was sharing money and food but we haven’t seen anything’

these were the words of Mallam Ali Gudije an internally displaced person in Abuja.[1]

Internal displacement is one of the humanitarian challenges facing the world today. It is sad for a national of a country to be displaced in his own country due to certain underlying factors usually beyond his control making him rely on the government as well as other humanitarian agencies for the necessities of life.

The coronavirus has hit the world and everyone is affected. More disheartening is the condition of the Internally Displaced Persons (hereinafter referred to as IDPs) spread across different camps in Nigeria. Before the outbreak of the virus, there has been clamour for the improvement in the treatment of IDPs most of which have been left unattended. This piece seeks to consider how the Coronavirus has worsened the worse situation and the IDPs’ plight.

IDPs and Social Distancing.

The coronavirus has led to the coinage of a new terminology ‘social distancing’. It entails keeping a distance of about 1 to 2 meters from one another as a preventive measure against the virus. Social distancing as a measure is such that it requires a wide range of space. The IDP camps are not spacious enough as there is congestion. For instance in Biu, a local council area in Borno State, no less than 11 people are living in small huts or tent,[2] so observing social distancing is difficult for these IDPs putting them on the high side of the risk of contracting the virus if there is an outbreak in the camps. Apart from congestion and overcrowding which makes social distancing difficult, they also have to queue to receive their meals and as such contact might not be avoidable. Covid-19 has spread to the North Eastern States exposing vulnerable groups in that region to the virus.

IDPs and Palliatives

When the federal government decided to give out palliatives in the form of foodstuff and consumables to the citizenry during the lockdown, the common man would have thought relief from days of hunger had come, even if it would be for a while, Alas! There have been reports of uneven distribution It was unevenly distributed. If the common man did not have access to the palliatives what then is the plight of IDPs in IDP camps? It is important at this point to reiterate the statement made by Mallam Ali in the introduction ‘We heard on the radio that the government was sharing money and food but we haven’t seen anything.’ Even in areas where palliatives were eventually distributed, it is only but temporary succor to the inhabitants of these camps.

Way forward

It would be very risky to neglect Internally Displaced Persons and other vulnerable groups all over the world neglected during this Pandemic. More attention should be paid to them because of the peculiarity of their situation and the already prevalent conditions they find themselves.

Given the above-identified problems, measures which may be taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the IDP camps include the following

For the problem of congestion, more housing or camping facilities should be provided in the camp. Social distancing can be embarked on by carrying out major activities that require large gatherings in batches to reduce physical contact for example sharing of food should be done in groups.
Non-Governmental Organisations as well as Humanitarian Societies can assist by providing palliatives reducing the burden on the government.
Members of the IDPs can be empowered or trained to make hand soaps, hand sanitizers, and nose masks for personal and commercial use.
Government bodies and NGOs are encouraged to organize virtual awareness programs, symposiums, and lectures on the Pandemic to enlighten IDPs.
Testing centers should be established at IDPs to run tests on IDPs
[1] Plight of IDPs amid COVID-19 lockdown. Leadership newspaper

[2] Surviving corona virus in Nigeria’s refugee Camps, Kelechi Emekalam https://news.cgtn.com/news/2020-05-26/ surviving-corona-virus-in-nigeria’s-refugee-camps-QNOpwp5c8U/

Olatunde Moyinoluwa is a final year law student of Osun State University. She is a keen lover of International Law and Constitutional Law. She uses writing as a tool for imparting knowledge.

Email: [email protected]