NHRC, UNHCR Call for Protection of IDPs’ Rights

By: Michael Mike

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) calls for the protection of the rights of internally displaced persons and forcibly displaced persons in Nigeria.

Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, alongside national and international stakeholders, convened a high-level policy consultation themed The Protection of IDPs in Nigeria Through Durable Solutions: Strengthening Collaboration Between Governments, Civil Society Organizations, and Humanitarian Partners”. The forum focused on practical strategies to safeguard the rights, dignity, and well-being of displaced Nigerians.

Alia highlighted his administration’s efforts to bring displaced persons closer to their ancestral homes, combining security, autonomy, and dignity. “Where we are as a state today is focused on relocating IDPs as close as possible to their ancestral homes. Before they can fully return, the security situation must be carefully assessed, and in the meantime, we have begun acquiring portions of land in their primary local government headquarters. Here, they can select artisans to construct homes—permanent or temporary, as they choose.

This initiative ensures that displaced persons have options: they can eventually return fully to their ancestral homes while maintaining access to their local headquarters. These lands can serve residential or commercial purposes, providing flexibility and empowering displaced persons to rebuild their lives with dignity and autonomy,” he said.

Addressing misconceptions regarding conflict in Benue, the governor urged accurate representation to ensure effective humanitarian response. “In my state of Benue, we do not experience religious, ethnic, racial, national, or state genocide. While there are security challenges and we have lost lives over the years due to conflicts between agro-pastoralists and farmers, these incidents do not meet the United Nations definition of genocide. Unfortunately, every issue in Nigeria today is politicized, including the plight of IDPs, and this misrepresentation distorts public perception. It is crucial to understand the true nature of the situation so that interventions are based on reality, not exaggeration or political gain,” he explained.

He further emphasized that displacement requires evidence-based, collaborative solutions that uphold human rights and address systemic gaps. “Displacement remains a painful reality for thousands of Nigerians, disrupting lives, livelihoods, and communities. The human rights concerns that accompany displacement—loss of shelter, limited access to healthcare, disrupted education, insecurity, and socioeconomic exclusion—demand a collective and urgent response. I am encouraged that this consultation brings together governors, attorney generals, members of the national and state assemblies, MDAs, civil society organizations, development partners, community-based actors, and representatives of IDP-led organizations.

This inclusive platform demonstrates the seriousness of our national commitment to tackling the root causes of displacement and providing durable solutions that restore hope and dignity to affected populations,” he noted.

Reaffirming the state’s commitment to displaced persons, Governor Alia said, “In Benue State, we remain fully committed to safeguarding the dignity and rights of all displaced persons. Our administration collaborates with national and international partners to provide humanitarian support, strengthen security, and create avenues for sustainable reintegration and recovery. Displacement must never become a permanent condition. Every Nigerian deserves to live in safety, with hope and opportunity. Ultimately, a true measure of our humanity is revealed not by how safe we are, but by how fiercely we protect the rights and dignity of those who have been displaced. These individuals are where they are not by choice or fault, and only God knows when any of us—or our families—might face similar circumstances.”

Alia urged participants to focus on three key areas: strengthening policy and legal frameworks to ensure laws genuinely protect IDPs; addressing protection gaps using evidence from field monitoring and displaced persons’ experiences; and developing durable solutions, including safe return, resettlement, or local integration, with strong coordination, predictable funding, and security guarantees.

On his part, the National Human Rights Commission, Dr. Tony Ojukwu highlighted the importance of leveraging data from Human Rights Monitors and Community Protection Action Groups to inform policy and interventions. “Through the dedication of our Human Rights Monitors and Community Protection Action Group (CPAG) members, valuable evidence-based data has been generated to guide protection programming, advocacy, policy engagement, and practical interventions by the government and humanitarian actors in Nigeria,” he said.

He also noted the gendered dimension of displacement. “Furthermore, our cumulative figures from February – September confirm that Females (72,119) have consistently outnumbered Males (62,403), confirming the feminization of displacement. Children remain the single largest demographic at 64,058 cumulatively, underscoring persistent vulnerability among minors,” he added.

Acknowledging systemic challenges in monitoring, Ojukwu said, “Limited access to remote or insecure locations, inadequate logistics and communication support, as well as low digital literacy among our CPAG members, are critical issues that limit their effectiveness. We must address the findings from our internal reviews, ensuring that policy and legal frameworks support their efforts, including resolving issues of inadequate funding and securing necessary field resources.”

He stressed the importance of accountability. “On accountability, we must ensure that the cases referred to the Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) with protection mandates or other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) are pursued transparently, sending a clear message that violations against FDPs will not go unpunished,” he said, urging stakeholders to transform displacement from despair into dignity. “This is a solemn test of our collective resolve. I urge all participants to engage candidly, focus on actionable solutions, and leave this room with a renewed determination to transform displacement from a state of despair into one of dignity and recovery.”

Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Benard Doro, called for a shift from emergency relief to sustainable recovery. “The theme of this consultation—‘The Protection of IDPs in Nigeria with Durable Solutions, Strengthening Collaboration Between Government, Civil Society Organisations and Humanitarian Partners’—signals that we must now shift from temporary relief to sustainable recovery, from reactive response to rights-based protection, and from fragmented interventions to unified human development outcomes, ensuring that all displaced persons are treated with dignity, their rights safeguarded, and their long-term needs effectively addressed,” he said.

He emphasized that IDPs are citizens whose constitutional rights must be protected. “Internal displacement in Nigeria is not merely a humanitarian situation; it is a human rights imperative and a constitutional obligation. IDPs are not statistics, they are citizens entitled to full constitutional protection, and as such, our interventions must recognize their dignity, address their vulnerabilities, and ensure their comprehensive inclusion in the development and protection framework of the nation,” he said.

The Minister further urged operationalizing policies and strengthening coordination across agencies. “To achieve meaningful protection and durable solutions for internally displaced persons, we must operationalize the National Policy on IDPs with measurable state-level action plans, strengthen data governance, accountability, and inter-agency coordination, ensuring that NHRC field data is fully integrated into national planning. This approach will allow us to scale up livelihood, health, education, and protection interventions, promote reintegration and resilience, and harmonize the efforts of humanitarian, development, and human rights actors across all levels of government, leaving no displaced person behind.”

He said with a call to transform displacement from vulnerability to dignity. “Protecting the rights of displaced Nigerians is not merely a humanitarian obligation; it is a constitutional and moral responsibility. Displacement is a lived experience affecting millions of our citizens. Let us leave this consultation with renewed resolve—to transform the status of displaced people from despair to dignity, from vulnerability to recovery, and from crisis to opportunity. Let us act together, decisively, and sustainably, ensuring that our interventions have measurable impact, restore livelihoods, uphold human dignity, and provide hope and resilience for every internally displaced person across the nation,” he said.

Representating the country representative Ajun Jain of United Nationals High Commissioner For Refugees (UNHCR)Timothy Zandok , emphasized the global responsibility to protect displaced persons and support national institutions. “Forcibly displaced persons, whether internally displaced, refugees, returnees, or stateless, are often uniquely and adversely disadvantaged within our communal setting. Beyond the data and news headlines, it is crucial to delve deeper into what their lives truly are like, to understand their experiences, and to ensure they are included and supported within our collective capacity as global citizens,” he said .

He further noted the importance of collective responsibility and actionable advocacy. “The experiences of forcibly displaced persons, and what we can collectively do to ensure their inclusion and conservation, represent a responsibility we owe to each other as global citizens. It is for these reasons that we gather, to share expertise, draw upon our experiences, and make impactful recommendations that strengthen the protection and welfare of those whose lives have been disrupted by displacement.

UNHCR highly commends the National Human Rights Commission for boldly undertaking its mandate to protect forcibly displaced persons, and we commit to continuing our support for your leadership and ownership of this responsibility. Through sharing their voices and advocacy, we can collectively contribute to creating an enhanced, protective environment for all displaced persons,”.

NHRC, UNHCR Call for Protection of IDPs’ Rights

International Alliance Group Call on Government to Ensure Schools are Safe for Students

By: Michael Mike

Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) has called on the federal government to tackle insecurity in schools headlong and ensure that schools are safe for Nigerian students.

Speaking on the background of Monday’s abduction of at least 25 children and a teacher at a boarding school in north-western Nigeria’s Kebbi state, the Interim Director of the Moving Minds Alliance (MMA), Katie Murphy on Wednesday in Abuja at the First National Consultative Meeting on Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Crisis, a two-day dialogue aimed at strengthening support systems for young children affected by conflict, displacement, and other emergencies, said the abduction was a sad narrative that should not be allowed to happen again.

The Moving Minds Alliance (MMA) is a funders collaborative and network focused on scaling up support for young children and families affected by crisis and displacement. They aim to improve coverage, quality, and financing of early childhood development services in emergency contexts.

Speaking at the event, Katie Murphy, stressed the urgency of securing innovative and sustainable domestic financing to safeguard the holistic development of Nigeria’s youngest children.

Murphy noted that while Nigeria receives substantial global support for ECD in crisis settings, most of the funding is channelled into health and nutrition, leaving critical areas such as early learning, responsive caregiving, and psychosocial support largely underfunded.

“This gap presents both a warning and an opportunity,” she said. “If we fail to invest now, the long-term wellbeing of children living through conflict and displacement will be at risk. But with coordinated action, Nigeria can champion a strong national commitment that inspires global momentum.”

She added that the meeting aims to review ongoing interventions, identify policy and financing solutions, and build a unified advocacy roadmap “led by Nigeria, for Nigeria’s children.”

She noted this at the national consultative meeting on children in crisis and development in Nigeria, a 2-day dialogue with Government and Early Childhood Development (ECD) stakeholders and also launch of it strategy and unveiling, “Reimagining early years crisis response strategy 2025-2030” in Abuja.

She said Nigeria can play a vital role in shaping a bold national commitment that inspires global action and includes a specific focus on children affected by crisis and displacement.

“Over the next two days, we are here to reflect on existing efforts to strengthen ECD for children affected by crisis and displacement, identify the policy and financing pathways that can accelerate progress, and begin to work together to shape a coordinated advocacy agenda led by Nigeria, for Nigeria’s children,” she said.

Also, the Early Childhood Care Development and Education (ECCDE) desk officer at the Ministry of Education, Confidence Okonkwo represented by the Director Basic Education, FME, Dr Folake Olatunji-David assured that the Federal Government of Nigeria is committed in ensuring that every Nigerian child is given adequate care in terms of nutrition, in terms of health, in terms of education.

” Nigerian Government has extended collaboration to private sector development for support because government do not have all the resources to cater for challenging issues in the education sector in the country, ” she said.

Representing the Federal Ministry of Education, Director of Basic Education, Dr. Folake Olatunji-David,, reaffirmed government commitment to ensuring that every child receives adequate nutrition, healthcare, and learning opportunities. She explained that the government is deepening partnerships with the private sector, acknowledging that public resources alone are insufficient to tackle the growing challenges in the education system.

Current national data paints a stark picture, showing that 3.6 million people in Nigeria are displaced as of October 2025, including over 3.57 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) and 142,557 refugees and asylum-seekers, with more than half of the displaced population are children.

It also showed that 1.8 million children face the threat of severe acute malnutrition, and over 18 million Nigerian children are currently out of school—many due to insecurity and displacement.

Children in these environments often miss out on nurturing care, early learning, mental health support, and other foundations essential for lifelong wellbeing. Without strategic action, experts warn that Nigeria risks falling short of national development targets and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.

Although Nigeria ranked among the top global recipients of ECD funding in crisis contexts in 2023—$27 million in humanitarian aid and $270 million in development assistance—funding patterns remain uneven. With the OECD forecasting a 30% drop in global aid, Nigeria could lose up to $89 million in ECD-related support by 2027, heightening the importance of domestic investment.

At the consultative meeting organised by the Moving Minds Alliance, the Federal and state ministries, including Education and Women Affairs; UN agencies such as UNHCR; Philanthropic organisations; International and local NGOs; Refugee- and community-led groups from Borno, Cross River, and Benue and media, researchers, and advocates These states were selected for their large populations of refugees and IDPs.

The event also marked the official launch of MMA’s 2025–2030 strategy: Reimagining Early Years Crisis Response.

According to the organisers, after the meeting, a national ECD coalition will be activated to coordinate efforts through 2029, leading up to global advocacy milestones such as the ECD Financing Summit in 2027.

International Alliance Group Call on Government to Ensure Schools are Safe for Students

Nigerian Army neutralizes 239 terrorists, recovers weapons in Kaduna and Niger states

By: Zagazola MAkama

Troops of the Nigerian Army under the command of 1 Division, Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YANMA, have successfully neutralized 239 violent extremists and insurgents while recovering a significant cache of weapons and ammunition across Kaduna and Niger states, a top military officer has disclosed.

Maj Gen Abubakar Sadiq Muhammed Wase, during the operational briefing to the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, said the successes were part of sustained clearance operations, patrols, ambushes, raids, and anti-kidnapping missions aimed at denying terrorists freedom of action in the sector.

The operations, he said, led to the recovery of 185 assorted weapons and 5,860 rounds of ammunition from identified insurgent enclaves and hideouts. “Our offensive and non-kinetic operations continue to degrade terrorist capabilities and disrupt their operational networks,” Maj Gen Wase said.

He highlighted that the Division’s area of responsibility, which covers Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, and Niger states, is characterised by rugged terrain, dense forests, and underdeveloped infrastructure, which terrorists exploit as hideouts. Despite these challenges, he said the coordinated use of mobile combat units, light mobility platforms such as motorcycles and gun trucks, and aerial surveillance have restricted insurgent movements and enhanced operational coverage.

Maj Gen Wase also noted the recovery of over 1,091 life-support items, 364 vehicles and motorcycles, and the rescue of 563 kidnapped victims since the Division assumed operational control. He attributed the success to a combination of kinetic operations, intelligence-led targeting, and inter-agency collaboration, which have strengthened the Division’s capacity to dominate its area of responsibility.

He noted that the Nigerian Army has strengthened its commitment to community development and civil-military cooperation with the completion and commissioning of a new primary school in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State.

The unveiling of the Chidambere Community Primary School was part of a broader initiative by 1 Division, Sector 1 Operation FANSAN YANMA, to complement military operations with developmental interventions aimed at winning the hearts and minds of local communities.

Maj Gen Abubakar Sadiq Muhammed Wase, who briefed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Waidi Shaibu, said the project was commissioned and handed over to the Kaduna State Government as part of the Division’s ongoing non-kinetic engagements.

He explained that the Army’s engagement in education, healthcare, and infrastructure is designed to enhance civilian confidence, reduce community vulnerability to terrorist influence, and strengthen local cooperation with security agencies. “The school will serve as a symbol of the Nigerian Army’s commitment to peace, stability, and sustainable development in conflict-affected communities,” Maj Gen Wase said.

The commissioning follows a series of non-kinetic initiatives, including medical outreaches in Tutunbiri, Amarabanjoz, and other affected communities, aimed at ameliorating humanitarian challenges created by prior security operations and air component strikes.

He noted also that as part of ongoing efforts to reduce insurgent influence and promote peace, the Nigerian Army has successfully facilitated the surrender of several terrorist groups operating in Kaduna State, Maj Gen Abubakar Sadiq Muhammed Wase has disclosed.

The surrenders were achieved through a reconciliation and engagement team constituted in collaboration with the Kaduna State Government and the Office of the National Security Adviser. Targeted localities included Chukun, Egebi, Ndiwa, and Birnin Gwari LGAs, where terrorists were encouraged to lay down arms and accept government amnesty.

Maj Gen Wase revealed that 16 notorious terrorist groups, including Dogo Gide, Yelo Jamboros, Kolo Meri, Alhajilabi, Bilia, Gwamna, and Kabiru Boderi, expressed willingness to surrender. Weapons and ammunition were recovered during the process, and 142 kidnapped victims were released without ransom, including Dr. Daniel Okuola, a medical doctor who had been abducted in 2023 from the National Eye Center, Kaduna.

The GOC emphasised that these non-kinetic engagements do not reduce the intensity of ongoing kinetic operations. Rather, they complement military efforts by isolating terrorists from vulnerable communities, gathering intelligence, and strengthening civil-military relations.

He noted that the Division’s integrated approach of reconciliation, civil engagement, and targeted operations has strengthened public confidence in the military and supported the broader aim of restoring peace and security across the sector.

Maj Gen Wase said the Division remains committed to sustaining dialogue with repentant elements while continuing offensive operations against those who reject government amnesty.

Nigerian Army neutralizes 239 terrorists, recovers weapons in Kaduna and Niger states