More than one million Nigerians were displaced in the last twelve months according to the refugees commission in the country.
With increasing tension in the North West and North Central regions of Nigeria, the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) has increased to three million.
The National Commission for Refugee, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons revealed the staggering figure on Monday as its Federal Commissioner, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim met the House of Representatives Committee on IDPs.
According to the Commissioner, more than half a million Nigerians are waiting to be repatriated from neighboring countries after fleeing from trouble in their communities.
“Due to the current unprecedented humanitarian crisis in Nigeria and the alarming growth rate of displacement, the number of IDPs has increased in the past one year by about one million, causing the number of displaced persons in Nigeria to rise to a frightening three million,”
“Nigeria is also a host to about 73,000 refugees from 23 countries, with over 500,000 Nigerians awaiting repatriation from Chad, Cameroon, Cameroon, Libya and other countries,” the Commissioner said.
The Nigerian government is also considering the construction of more resettlement centres for displaced persons.
Boko Haram insurgency in the North East and banditry in the North West are foremost security challenges in the country leading to locals fleeing their comes.