We are all refugees in Nigeria - Peter Obi

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 election, believes every Nigerian is a refugee as long as some citizens continue to live in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.

Obi said this in a series of tweets on Thursday, June 20, 2024, to commemorate World Refugee Day.

In the tweets, the former governor of Anambra State highlighted the ongoing displacement crisis in the country.

He said World Refugee Day is dedicated to celebrating the strength and courage of individuals who have been forced to flee their home countries due to conflict or persecution.

It also includes those who, though in their home countries, are forced by conflict to flee from their homes and live in refugee shelters and encampments,” he tweeted.

He expressed solidarity with the many refugees within Nigeria, displaced by insecurity and natural disasters, emphasizing that the displacement crisis affects all Nigerians.

“As I have maintained, we are all refugees in Nigeria, so long as some of our brothers and sisters are living as refugees in different IDP camps,” he said.

Obi further said that Nigeria, despite not being at war, has the third-highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Africa and ranks among the top 10 countries globally.

He identified insecurity as the primary driver of this crisis but stressed the importance of supporting those already displaced.

“We must support our brothers and sisters who are already displaced by giving them access to education and healthcare,” he stated.

Obi called for building a secure nation with a focus on education, health, and poverty eradication to reduce the number of IDPs and refugees.

“Building a safe, secure nation that prioritizes investment in education, health, and poverty eradication will greatly reduce the number of IDPs in our nation and Nigerian refugees in other countries,” he asserted.

He reaffirmed his commitment to a “New Nigeria,” where every citizen can live freely and contribute to the nation’s growth and development.

This content was created with the help of an AI model and verified by the writer.