The Rights of Internally Displaced Persons in Borno State: Legal Protection and Humanitarian Response

This research examines the legal protections available to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Borno State, Northeast Nigeria, against the backdrop of the Boko Haram insurgency and its ongoing humanitarian consequences. Nigeria is home to one of Africa's largest IDP populations, with Borno State disproportionately affected. The study assesses the applicability of the Kampala Convention on the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons in Africa, the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, and Nigeria's National Policy on Internally Displaced Persons to conditions observed in selected IDP camps in Maiduguri and surrounding local government areas. A qualitative methodology is employed, incorporating key informant interviews with camp administrators, humanitarian workers, and displaced community members. Secondary data from the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) are also critically examined. Findings indicate that IDPs face violations of their rights to shelter, healthcare, food security, education, and physical safety, with women and children being most vulnerable. The study highlights the inadequacy of domestic legislation in fully operationalizing the Kampala Convention's obligations. Policy recommendations center on the enactment of a comprehensive national IDP law and strengthened inter-agency coordination. Keywords: internally displaced persons, Borno State, Kampala Convention, Boko Haram, humanitarian response.