Nigeria forces refugees to resettle in unsafe camps

Nigerian authorities are forcibly resettling hundreds of people displaced by Boko Haram violence, including in a refugee camp recently attacked by the extremist group.

In northeastern Maiduguri, the birthplace of Boko Haram, security forces ordered people into trucks as camp managers locked the gates to prevent some people from going into the city to find places to stay. Victims complained authorities manhandled them when they protested, saying they were being sent to their deaths.

In recent weeks, two female suicide bombers attacked a refugee camp in the northeastern town of Dikwa, where more than 50 people died.

“It’s a problem not restricted to Nigeria,” said Bronwyn Bruton, deputy director of the Africa center at the Atlantic Council. “The thinking is you can defend people when they are in camps, but the reality is of course the concentration of people is also a draw for attacks.”

The United Nations has urged the Nigerian government to resettle the refugees so they can continue life as normally as possible but also asked officials to ensure the people’s safety. All efforts to return internally displaced people (IDPs) to their homes should be voluntary and coordinated.

“We call on the Nigerian government to plan carefully for any IDPs return, given the relentless attacks by Boko Haram in ostensibly safe areas,” said UN official Maud de Boer-Buquicchio, in a written statement.

The conflict in northeastern Nigeria has forced more than 2.1 million people from their homes. President Muhammadu Buhari said his administration is giving “the highest priority” to resettling the refugees. Officials announced months ago that people who had been lodging in deserted schools for nearly two years must move out so classes can resume. But Boko Haram’s insurgency shows no sign of slowing, with Nigeria and neighboring countries gearing up for a protracted fight against the group.

Other African countries also are battling similar terror groups. Earlier today, Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud announced al-Qaeda affiliate al-Shabaab killed at least 180 Kenyan soldiers in a January attack on their base. The attack took place in a town close to the Kenyan border, where troops are battling the militants.

The delay in reporting this attack, and others like it, highlights frustrations in the international community over a lack of coordination and communication in dealing with what has become a worldwide crisis.

“There’ve been huge attacks that have destroyed entire villages and the international community is left examining satellite folders just to figure out what is going on,” Bruton said.