The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) for the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has lamented that millions of Nigerians have become displaced in their own country.
Obi noted that communities across different parts of the country have been displaced by terrorism, banditry and violent attacks.
He raised the concerns in a message marking World Refugee Day on Saturday, June 20, decrying the escalating insecurity in Nigeria.
According to the United Nations (UN), this year’s World Refugee Day is themed, “Until Everyone Is Safe.” The UN explained that the theme is a call to keep the promise of protection alive.
The international organisation also described it as a call on governments to uphold fair and accessible asylum systems, donors to sustain life-saving support, communities to welcome those forced to flee, and everyone to defend the principle that safety must never depend on nationality, wealth, race, religion, gender, political opinion or migration status.
The UN emphasised that protection is fulfilled only when people forced to flee can live without fear, rebuild their lives, contribute to their communities and, when conditions allow, return home voluntarily, safely and with dignity.
In his commemorative message, Obi pointed to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps as evidence of the government’s failure to protect Nigerians.
“Today is World Refugee Day. Yet, millions of Nigerians have become refugees in their own country. Across the North and other parts of Nigeria, communities have been displaced by terrorism, banditry and violent attacks, with IDP camps now a painful symbol of our national failure to protect our people,” he said.
Obi asserted that many of the camps are grossly underfunded and inadequate for the thousands forced to live there, while lamenting that families struggle daily to access food, healthcare, education and basic dignity.
“For many, survival has become their only reality,” he noted. “Children are abducted from schools. Families are forced to flee their homes. Farmers abandon their lands. Citizens live in fear of kidnapping and violence.”
Obi also warned that there is little hope for many displaced Nigerians to return to their communities and rebuild their lives safely amid escalating insecurity in some parts of the country.
This, he said, is not okay, stressing that human lives are at stake.
“On this World Refugee Day, we must remember that behind every statistic is a human life disrupted, a family uprooted, and a future put on hold.”
He added that Nigerians deserve safety, dignity and the right to live peacefully in their own country.
