Nigeria now has the largest number of IDPs in the world as the number of refugees from the Boko Haram insurgency has surged to a record 2.2m. According to the latest figures published by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), the number of IDP's in Nigeria ballooned to 2.2m in November from 1.5m in August.
International efforts have been underway to address the crisis and as part of this drive, Mr Miliband visited an IDOP camp in Maiduguri yesterday. Currently the president of the International Rescue Committee, Mr Miliband interacted with the refugees of whom half of them were children.
Maiduguri has 1m residents but now has 2m refugees and while in the camp, Mr Miliband dropped to kneel and make eye contact with some of the children. He added that he was saddened that so many children have been orphaned by the six-year Islamic uprising that has led to the deaths of about 20,000 people.
Mr Miliband said: “It’s important for us to be in the places which make the headlines but also important to be in the places that don’t.”
At the makeshift camp set up at a youth corps training centre, refugees have built round shelters from grass and plastic sheets, trying to recreate some semblance of their huts back home. During the visit, the refugees told Mr Miliband that they want to go home but only when it is safe to do so.
Apparently, Mr Miliband asked one young boy what he wished for and the youngster replied: “I want to go back home. Help us to get back to our home.”
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