IMPLEMENTATION AND ENFORCEMENT OF THE RIGHTS OF INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS UNDER DOMESTIC AND REGIONAL FRAMEWORKS

Abstract

Increase in the number of armed conflicts and natural disaster has led to an increase in the number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. These IDPs are housed in temporary camps after which they are resettled back to their communities as the conflict or disaster abates. During their stay in camps, IDPs usually suffer from poor and unhealthy living conditions as well as series of violations to their rights as citizens and as IDPs. This research aims at examining the extent of protection available to IDPs under the relevant and efficacy of applicable legal instruments for this purpose in Nigeria. In achieving this aim, doctrinal research method is applied. The research observes that the rights peculiar to the IDPs by their circumstance is entrenched under the 1999 Constitution; however, these rights are not justiciable. It is also discovered that the Kampala Convention where IDPs rights are elaborately and comprehensively distilled cannot be enforced in Nigeria for want of domestication. It is therefore suggested that there is an urgent duty on the National Assembly to domesticate the Kampala Convention so as to pave way for better protection of IDPs