It is no longer news that the North-east geopolitical zone has been bedevilled by insecurity of various forms ranging from land dispute, communal and farmers and herdsmen clashes, kidnapping and Boko Haram insurgency.
The above problems have contributed largely to the economic downturn of the region. Many people have been displaced while the few left cannot access their business and farms for fear of being killed or kidnapped. Nonetheless, thousands of people have been forced to become beggars, while many children are snatching people’s belongings in the streets.
Lately, the United Nations declared the North-east Nigeria as one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises zone, with at least 8.3 million people in need of assistance. This is indicates that the region will face a serious challenge shortly if the government is not ready to assist or put an end to the lingering insecurity in the zone.
The issue of climate change, the Boko Haram insurgency, farmers and herdsmen/communal conflicts and diseases, among others, are factors contributing to the increase in the number of internally displaced persons, IDPs. The situation is said to be worse in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.
Recently, flooding claimed over 40 lives, washed away 89,000 farmlands and destroyed other properties worth billions of naira in Adamawa state. However, in Jama’are and Kirfi, over 1000 people were displaced, 60,000 farmlands were destroyed and 500 houses collapsed.
Similarly, the issue of communal clashes in Gombe and parts of Taraba states have done more harm than good to the region whereby many people have fled their homes to the streets in fear of being killed. The situation exposed children and women to the despondency and vulnerability.
Therefore, the North-east region must be declared one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises zone in the world. This is because the region has been facing myriads of challenges from 1999 to date yet nothing is in place to stop these disasters. As such, I am drawing the attention of the North-east governors to do everything within their power to salvage the region from its current situation.
This should be done by giving more priority to nomadic education across the country. The nomads should be given equal opportunities. This means that everybody should have access to quality education to reduce the current number of people affected by the crises in the region.
Kyari Isa,
Department of Mass Communication, Borno state university
