Journey of a Thousand Troubles

Across Africa, conflict, natural disasters and socio-economic challenges are triggering the transnational movement of people. As a result, millions of Africans seek refuge and livelihood opportunities in new abodes, where basic survival requirements are limited. In 2017, the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) stated that over 19 million Africans were living in another African country against the 15 million recorded in 2015. The Institute of Security Studies (ISS) link migration in Africa to climate disasters, conflict and underdevelopment. Continued displacement within Africa will increase competition over shrinking resources, limit access to basic services, and engender social instability.

The phenomenon is anything but different in Nigeria and the broader Lake Chad Basin (LCB). About 3.2 million people seek refuge within Nigeria and the LCB due to climate crisis and years of conflict, particularly in northeast Nigeria. In the northwest, displacement figures are increasing due to unending banditry, farmer-herder clashes and other conflict issues. Millions of refuge seekers dwell in overburdened camps within and outside Nigeria, where basic human decency is a luxury. The cycle of displacement continues with largely unmanaged climate impact and cascading security challenges.

Largely triggered by conflict, the displaced population face new wars against hunger and other humanitarian challenges. As a result, food insecurity exposes millions to malnutrition and undernutrition. Moreover, the humanitarian needs increase the population’s susceptibility to criminality and violent competition with host communities. By 2030, Africa will have half the global total of undernourished people. Data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) states that 37 per cent of the world’s stunted children live in Africa. The latest prediction is that nearly 17 million Nigerians will be at crisis or emergency levels of food insecurity in 2022.

Climate impact, wars, humanitarian challenges are hurdles to the survival and development of millions of people in Nigeria and the LCB. Due to geographical proximity and similar national indices, Nigeria and its neighbours share conflict and climate change consequences. A clear example is a spillover of the jihadist insurgency from Nigeria to Chad, Cameroon and Niger. It is also portrayed in the movement of the displaced population from Nigeria to the LCB countries. Ending these issues means addressing them from a national and transnational standpoint. From the preceding, Nigeria and the LCB countries are connected by conflict, as exemplified by continued migration, spillover conflict, similar security challenges and development deficits.

On a national level, Nigeria must constantly update its national security framework and responses to meet the country’s current security threats. Old conflicts and new battles are posing significant threats to human security, livelihood, such that dozens of communities are forced to move away from their ancestral homes, with abandoned livelihoods and properties with economic value. Improved security responses, especially in the violent hotspots, will reduce the vulnerability of rural residents to harm, deepened socio-economic issues and forced migration.

Managing the consequences of conflict must mean adequate humanitarian responses. About 10.6 million Nigerians need urgent humanitarian assistance. The United Nations and partner organisations aim to provide life-saving assistance to 7.8 million of the most vulnerable people. This means that more resources are still needed to manage the humanitarian crisis. Worse off, violent conflict is triggering new displacements. Hence, the Nigerian government have a hard task of managing the increasing statistics of people in need. There is a need to tackle displacement and humanitarian issues from a conflict prevention approach. As mentioned above, improving security will reduce security threats.

Moreover, implementing early warning mechanisms and peacebuilding approaches will help manage the emerging conflict vistas. For example, communicative engagement for secessionist agitators in southern Nigeria have been recommended as an alternative to achieve peace without guns. In addition, the government’s support and collaboration with development partners and civil society organisations will help manage tensions that can snowball into violent conflict.

At the international realm, the LCB countries must commit to regional responses to insecurity, climate impact on Lake Chad. The Multinational Joint Task Force, as a transnational combative response to terrorism in the LCB, must continue to wage counter-terrorism warfare against insurgents. On the policy side, the independent national governments must commit to national policies that will promote development, address group marginalisation, justice issues and identity rivalries. Collaboratively, the LCB countries must call on the international community’s support to manage the climate-impacted Lake Chad and its effects on the local population. From underdevelopment to violent conflicts to displacement and humanitarian crisis, fundamental issues in the LCB are intertwined, requiring serious and collaborative efforts to manage.