The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns about the condition of the over two million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria.
Addressing a stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Professor Bem Angwe, said an increasing number of states were neglecting the welfare and rehabilitation of IDPs residing in the various states.
He pointed out that most state governments now rely heavily on the Federal Government to address the challenges of the displaced persons.
Mr Angwe advised state governments to be alive to their responsibilities, as the commission remained committed to protecting and preserving the rights of all Nigerians by holding the state governments accountable for their actions.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Human Rights, Edward Pwajok, appealed to Nigerians to give peace a chance just as his colleague in charge of IDPs, Refugees and Northeast Initiatives blamed state governments for their slow response to the challenges of the displaced persons.
The meeting was aimed at assessing the state of IDPs in the nation, after representatives of State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) from Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Taraba and Yobe made presentations.
