Borno govt bans distribution of food to IDPs

The Borno state government has issued a ban on the distribution of relief materials to resettled IDPs in the state, as it gears up plans to close down all IDP camps in the state despite warnings.

The Borno state government announced a ban on the distribution of food and non-food items to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) whom the state is currently in the process of resettling back into their original, and in some cases, new communities. This decision, coming on the heels of several reports which say that resettling IDPs itself might be further putting lives at risk and worsening impoverishment for displaced people, signals an impending humanitarian crisis.

In a statement released to the effect on Dec. 6, the government had said it was deeply committed to helping its people build back their lives, through resilience and helping themselves out of poverty, as they resettle back into their communities.

As part of this effort, the governor explained, it became necessary to wean them off assistance from humanitarian agencies and assistance. It says that food and non-food distribution will only be allowed in IDP camps and amongst IDPs in host communities, for now.

The state government had also earlier announced plans to close all IDP camps in Maiduguri by the end of December 2021. Both its decision to close down the camps, and the ban on distribution of relief materials, have raised concerns among IDPs and humanitarian agencies alike.