The Yobe State government is set to become the first in Nigeria, to domesticate the National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs)after twelve years of existence.
Governor Mai Buni, represented by his Secretary to the State Government, Baba Malam-Wali, disclosed during a Special Session with Development Partners that the state plans to dedicate 5 percent of its total budget for the years 2025, 2026, and 2027 to facilitate durable solutions for IDPs within the state.
‘Yobe is the first state in the country to take strategic steps to address the complex challenges of displacement in line and response to the United Nations Secretary-General’s agenda and solution to displacement.
“I am delighted to say Yobe state in the last 5 years successfully constructed, rehabilitated and established new structures, provided healthcare as well as constructed roads, provided electricity and water to make life more meaningful for the returning host communities”
“I am delighted to inform you, that Yobe state will commit 5 per cent of its 2025, 2026 and 2027 total budget for the durable solution of Internally Displaced Persons in the state” he said.
Earlier in his welcome remarks, the Project Coordinator, Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities, Dauda Suleiman had explained three key objectives that were to be discussed.
“The objectives are to enable the state to have clear strategies for the achievement of durable solutions for the displaced population through the solution pathways, afford internally displaced population to have social and economic opportunities and for the policy to ensure the state complies with the national, regional and international legal instrument to provide a comprehensive framework for the protection of IDPs,” he said.
The Yobe state government, alongside donor partners participating in its project “Solutions for the Internally Displaced and Host Communities” (SOLID), convened a meeting with representatives from various organizations including the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and others. The objective was to devise a lasting solution for the IDPs.
During the meeting, the partners committed to collaborating with the Yobe government and host communities to ensure the IDPs are able to return to their original homes in a manner that upholds their dignity.
It’s noteworthy that the Nigerian government introduced the National Policy on IDPs in 2012, aiming to safeguard the specific rights of displaced individuals, providing protection and assistance, particularly focusing on the vulnerable groups such as women and children who are most impacted by displacement.