Peter Obi urges government to make safe return of displaced people possible

Presidential candidate Peter Obi has urged the government to intensify efforts against insecurity and create conditions for internally displaced Nigerians to return safely to their communities. Obi made the call on Tuesday during a visit to an internally displaced persons’ camp in the Ramin Kura area of Sokoto State. He spoke with residents and assessed their living conditions, saying the continued displacement of Nigerians was unacceptable in a country that was not at war.

He said people at the camp wanted to return home but needed assurances that they would be protected. Obi argued that government policy should prioritise a secure return rather than allow displaced people to remain in camps indefinitely. He said no Nigerian should have to live in an IDP camp.

Obi expressed particular concern about the absence of basic services. He said he encountered a child with an injured hand and was told that the camp had no primary healthcare facility. He also said there was no school for children living there.

In his view, those conditions demonstrated the need for a government-led response to both insecurity and humanitarian needs. The former Anambra State governor said he had made a personal contribution to assist residents, but stressed that individual support could not substitute for government responsibility. He described his immediate intervention as monitoring the situation and listening to the displaced people’s concerns.

Obi said he would continue visiting IDP camps and communities across the country to hear directly from people affected by insecurity. He said he had been moving around Sokoto since the previous day, meeting different groups and observing conditions for himself. His call focused on restoring safety, healthcare and education sufficiently for displaced residents to return to their communities.