Running From One Danger Into Another
They ran as far and as fast as they could. Some Dapchi schoolgirls and teachers raced over 5 kilometers and scaled fences to escape abduction while others unknowingly sped right into the clutches of Boko Haram (“I Won’t”). This Islamist militant group based in Nigeria kidnapped 110 schoolgirls in February, striking fear within the people once again (“I Won’t”). Despite government claims of Boko Haram’s defeat in 2016, more abductions, armed attacks, and suicide bombings have continued to terrorize the people of Nigeria, causing many to flee to other parts of the country. The turmoil and violence generated by Boko Haram have led to a crisis of internally displaced people, known as IDP’s, as citizens try to evade the group’s domination.
In fear of the onslaught of deadly attacks, IDP’s escape the regions Boko Haram primarily target and temporarily find shelter in displacement camps and safer areas within the country (Read & Rushing). Over the past 8 years of violence, Boko Haram’s violent mission to install an Islamic state has displaced over 2 million citizens in Nigeria (Gaffey). But, if safety can be found with displacement, why is this a problem? In spite of the security displacement promises, Boko Haram still poses a significant threat to IDP camps and is contributing to a near-famine for many IDP’s.
Displacement camps often host thousands of people and attempt to provide them with a safe haven and shelter, but the large gatherings of IDP’s create vulnerable areas for attacks. In 2016, two female suicide bombers walked into the middle of a camp in Maiduguri, Nigeria and killed over 60 people (“Female Suicide”). Two more Boko Haram suicide bombings in July of 2017 murdered over eight others in the Maiduguri camps (“IDP Camps”). In March of 2018, yet another camp was attacked by Boko Haram in Rann, Nigeria, killing around 11 people, including a few aid workers. This camp sheltered around 55,000 IDP’s and hosted Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), known in English as Doctors Without Borders. However, because of the attack, the MSF workers were forced to extract themselves and left tens of thousands of IDP’s without their only source of healthcare (“MSF Suspends”). Even as they uproot their lives to find safety, IDP’s once again find themselves unsafe and the targets of Boko Haram.
Furthermore, Boko Haram’s attacks across Nigeria have ravaged arable fields and stolen all of the area’s cows, pushing Nigeria closer to famine. Not only has Boko Haram directly harmed the production of crops, the millions of IDP’s, a majority of which are farmers, can no longer access the livestock they typically tend or the fields they usually work that provide them with food (Gaffey). Disconnected from their livelihoods, IDP’s must now rely on government handouts or the host community for food, decreasing crop production and creating an even worse risk of famine (Gaffey). With a reported 30 children dying each day because of malnutrition in some camps, the effects of Boko Haram’s insurgency on diminished food supplies for IDP’s can clearly be seen (“Malnutrition Deaths”).
However, the plight of the IDP’s in Nigeria is not one going unnoticed. Groups like the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) are attempting to improve the lives of the displaced by building shelters and providing food packages (“NRC in Nigeria”). However, after around 8 years, the problem of IDP’s is still severe as Boko Haram continues to carry out even more attacks than in previous years (Wilson). Unless Boko Haram can be truly defeated, the over 2 million IDP’s in Nigeria will continue to live in fear.
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My favorite aspect of the piece was how much detail you were able to pack in. It made it easy to picture what was going on and helped answer many of the questions I had while reading. My main take-away from this article is how strong Boko Haram has become as it still leaves the whole country of Nigeria in fear even after many attempts to defeat it. One follow up question I have is how are the citizens reacting to this and do they support what the government is trying to do to help?
ReplyDeleteYour article was very interesting and covered this issue well. My favorite aspect was your complete coverage of this issue and deep insight into the issue of this country. My main take away is how large of an issue the Boko Haram poses to Nigeria and its power to ruin an entire country. Do you believe international organizations should be doing more to help?
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