The Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has criticised the government over the condition of more than 1,000 internally displaced persons at the Ramin Kura IDP Camp in Sokoto.
Obi raised the concerns in a statement posted on his social media page after visiting the camp on Tuesday, September 29, during his two-day stay in Sokoto State.
He said he found it distressing to see displaced Nigerians living in makeshift shelters and thatched rooms, with some rooms accommodating as many as 10 people.
Obi also said the camp lacked adequate toilet facilities, a primary healthcare centre and a basic school for children.
“I have always insisted that as long as even one Nigerian lives in an IDP camp, we are all internally displaced,” Obi said.
He called on the government to improve conditions at the camp while addressing the security problems that forced the residents to leave their communities.
Obi said the Sokoto visit was his 12th visit to an IDP camp in Nigeria and pledged to continue supporting displaced Nigerians.
He also criticised the country’s political leadership, saying elected officials should spend their holidays within Nigeria to see firsthand the difficulties faced by vulnerable citizens.
According to Obi, the government must prioritise critical areas of development and immediately address the needs of Nigerians living in the camp.
He further called for action on insecurity, out-of-school children, poverty, youth unemployment and drug prevalence, which he said were among the issues discussed during his engagements across Sokoto State.
‘We are all internally displaced’ — Obi decries poor conditions at Sokoto IDP camp