The presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2027 election, Peter Obi, has decried the poor living conditions of internally displaced persons at the Ramin Kura IDP Camp in Sokoto North Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Obi raised the concern in a statement on Tuesday following his two-day visit to the state, where he held consultations with various groups on insecurity, out-of-school children, poverty, youth unemployment and drug abuse.
According to the former Anambra State governor, the Ramin Kura camp, which accommodates more than 1,000 displaced persons, lacks adequate toilet facilities, a primary healthcare centre and a basic school for children.
He said he was particularly distressed by the sight of Nigerians living in makeshift shelters and thatched rooms, with some rooms accommodating as many as 10 people.
Obi said, “As long as even one Nigerian lives in an IDP camp, we are all internally displaced.”
He urged the Federal Government and relevant agencies to urgently address the immediate needs of the displaced persons while tackling the security challenges that forced them from their ancestral communities.
The NDC candidate said government efforts should ultimately focus on creating conditions that would allow the displaced persons to return safely to their homes.
Obi said the Sokoto visit marked his 12th visit to an IDP camp across Nigeria, adding that he would continue to support displaced Nigerians.
He also called on the President and other political office holders to spend their holidays within Nigeria to enable them to experience first-hand the hardship faced by vulnerable citizens.
He attributed the worsening vulnerability of displaced Nigerians to what he described as the failure of government to prioritise critical areas of development.
Obi urged the government and relevant agencies to immediately intervene in the Ramin Kura camp and provide the residents with the necessary facilities.
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