Obi visits Plateau IDP camp, urges urgent action on displacement
Abdullateef Fowewe
Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has condemned the growing insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt after his delegation was stopped from visiting attack victims in Benue State, saying displaced Nigerians “must not become forgotten.”
In a statement released on Wednesday, Obi recounted that on Tuesday, September 8, his team was prevented from proceeding to Yelwata in Benue to meet families affected by recent attacks.
He said he then travelled to Mangu Local Government Area in Plateau State, where he visited an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp housing more than 500 people.
“The situation in Mangu is deeply disturbing,” Obi wrote, adding that over 45,000 people have reportedly been displaced in the area and more than 20 communities “have been sacked by terrorists.”
He described the victims as Nigerians who “want nothing more than to return to their ancestral homes, rebuild their communities, cultivate their farms, and live their lives in peace and dignity.”
Obi reiterated a recurring theme in his public comments on insecurity, stating: “As I have always maintained, as long as there is one displaced Nigerian, all Nigerians are displaced.”
He urged the government to “do more to secure these beleaguered communities and restore the confidence of our people,” insisting that “the right to life, safety, dignity and livelihood must be protected for every Nigerian, irrespective of where they live, their ethnicity, religion or political affiliation.”
He warned against neglecting displaced citizens, saying, “Our displaced citizens must not become forgotten Nigerians. They are citizens of our country whose homes, livelihoods and futures have been disrupted.”
Obi called on authorities to “create the conditions for their safe and dignified return, secure their communities and support them to rebuild their lives.”
Concluding his account of the visit, Obi said he offered “modest support to the displaced families as a gesture of solidarity, compassion and shared humanity.”
He tied the episode to his broader political message, writing, “The New Nigeria we seek must be a country where every citizen can live, work, farm, raise a family and pursue their dreams in peace and security. A New Nigeria is POssible.”
