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Protecting Conflict-Induced Displacees in Northern Nigeria: Assessing the Compliance of the State with Article 9(2) of the Kampala Convention

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Boko Haram and International Law

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Abstract

Conflicts have largely been recognised as a fundamental cause of internal displacement in Africa. In recent years, internal conflicts in several African countries, including Nigeria, have contributed to the rise in IDP situation across Africa. In Nigeria, the violence orchestrated by the Boko Haram group has led to the displacement of over a million persons. Motivated in part by the need to prevent conflict-induced displacement and protect conflict-induced displacees, African leaders, in 2009, adopted the African Union (AU) Convention for the Protection and Assistance of Internally Displaced Persons (Kampala Convention). Article 7 of the Kampala Convention relates to conflict-induced displacement. As at 2015, 23 African states had ratified the Kampala Convention, including Nigeria. Although the Kampala Convention places an obligation on Nigeria to prevent arbitrary displacement of population by addressing the root causes of displacement, the Boko Haram insurgency has increasingly become a daunting problem to address. With the rise in the insurgency, the number of persons displaced as a result of the conflict situation has significantly risen. Article 5(1) of the Kampala Convention recognises the primary obligation of the state to protect internally displaced persons. Article 9(2) of the Kampala Convention sets out specifically the obligation of states in protecting and assisting IDPs when displacement occurs. In sub-paragraphs (a) to (m), the specific duties that states should carry out in protecting IDPs are explicitly provided. In this chapter, I argue that while Nigeria does not yet have legislation or policy on IDPs, it has an obligation to protect and assist IDPs in line with the provisions of the Kampala Convention. Against the backdrop of article 9(2) of the Kampala Convention, this paper assesses Nigeria’s compliance with the obligation to protect and assist persons displaced by the Boko Haram conflict in Northern Nigeria.

This article was originally published by the Comparative and International Law of Southern Africa Journal. A publication of Juta press.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    See Derby (2008).

  2. 2.

    UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2014); Foulkes, BBC News (20 June 2014).

  3. 3.

    UN High Commissioner for Refugees (2013), p. 2.

  4. 4.

    Norwegian Refugee Council and Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 9.

  5. 5.

    Norwegian Refugee Council and Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 11.

  6. 6.

    Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 1.

  7. 7.

    This figure is not specific to conflict-induced displacement alone. See Organisation of African Unity (1994).

  8. 8.

    Now known as African Union (AU).

  9. 9.

    Organisation of African Unity (1994).

  10. 10.

    Norwegian Refugee Council and Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 25.

  11. 11.

    In 2003, over half of the world’s 25 million IDPs were recorded as being in Africa.

  12. 12.

    African Union Executive Council, fifth ordinary session 25 June–3 July 2004, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Decision on the situation of refugees, returnees and displaced persons, Doc EX.CL/108 (V), para 8.

  13. 13.

    African Union Executive Council, fifth ordinary session 25 June–3 July 2004, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Decision on the meeting of experts on the review of OAU/AU treaties, Doc EX/CL/95 (V) para 4(i).

  14. 14.

    African Union (2012).

  15. 15.

    African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (2015).

  16. 16.

    Iwuchukwu (2013), p. 112.

  17. 17.

    Weate (2014).

  18. 18.

    Walker (2012), pp. 8–9; Bavier (17 January 2012a).

  19. 19.

    Barkindo (2013), p. 32.

  20. 20.

    Barkindo (2013), p. 33.

  21. 21.

    See Simon (2003); Springer et al. (2009), p. 29.

  22. 22.

    The followers are also known as Wahhabis or Salafis.

  23. 23.

    Three groups of people may be categorised as kafirs, namely, those ‘who are deniers of God, or mushrak … [those who put] gods next to God, or … enervators of religion [Sunni & Shi’a Muslims]’. Frontline (2001).

  24. 24.

    Iwuchukwu (2013), p. 112.

  25. 25.

    Chothia (2015).

  26. 26.

    Bavier (24 January 2012b).

  27. 27.

    ‘Many dead in Nigeria market blast’ (2010).

  28. 28.

    Marama (2011); ‘Nigeria attacks claimed by Islamist sect Boko Haram’ (2012).

  29. 29.

    Human Rights Watch (2012).

  30. 30.

    ‘Muslim sect kills more than 100 in attacks on north-east Nigeria’ (2011).

  31. 31.

    ‘Boko Haram timeline: from preachers to slave raiders’ (2013); ‘A year of attacks linked to Nigeria’s Boko Haram’ (2014); ‘Timeline on Boko Haram activities’ (2014); Karimi and Abubakar (2015); ‘Nigeria’s Boko Haram militants attack Chad for first time’ (2015); Massalaki (2015).

  32. 32.

    Office of the Prosecutor, International Criminal Court ‘Report on preliminary examination activities 2013’ (2013) para 218.

  33. 33.

    The Sun (29 January 2015); International Organization for Migration (2015).

  34. 34.

    In the north-eastern Nigeria states of Borno and Yobe (where the violence has been intense), an estimate of about 482,286 and 125,991 individuals have been internally displaced. In Adamawa and Taraba, an estimate of about 211,391 individuals have been internally displaced. In Gombe, Bauchi, Plateau, Nassarawa, Kaduna, Kano and Zamfara, an estimate of about 98,133 persons have been internally displaced. In light of these figures an estimate of about 917,801 IDPs exist in north-eastern Nigeria. See International Organization for Migration (2015).

  35. 35.

    International Organization for Migration (2015).

  36. 36.

    Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 1.

  37. 37.

    National Emergency Management Agency (2014).

  38. 38.

    The 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

  39. 39.

    The Registered Trustees of National Association of Community Health Practitioners of Nigeria & ors v Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (2008) 2 NWLR (Pt. 1072) 575.

  40. 40.

    Abacha & Ors v Fawehinmi (judgement of the Supreme Court, delivered 28 April 2000).

  41. 41.

    Abacha & Ors v Fawehinmi (judgement of the Supreme Court, delivered 28 April 2000). For an elaborate discussion of the application of international in domestic courts see Killander (2010); Akinrinade (2011), p. 448.

  42. 42.

    Purohit & another v The Gambia (2003) AHRLR 96 (ACHPR 2003), para 43; Legal Resources Foundation v Zambia (2001) AHRLR 84 (ACHPR 2001), para 60. In line with article 27 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, states are prevented from invoking national laws as a ground for non-compliance with the requirement of treaty obligations. See Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (1969); See Wachira and Ayinla (2006), p. 465.

  43. 43.

    The Kampala Convention, above at note 14, art 9(2) (a).

  44. 44.

    UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2015).

  45. 45.

    Hamza et al. (2014).

  46. 46.

    Hamza et al. (2014).

  47. 47.

    Hamza et al. (2014).

  48. 48.

    Olugbode (2014).

  49. 49.

    Out of the 70 people who died in IDP camp situated in Bali local government in Taraba, 48 died of cholera, 13 died of the measles epidemic and 9 died of other sicknesses. Ayodele (2014).

  50. 50.

    The Kampala Convention, above at note 14, art 9(2) (b).

  51. 51.

    The Sun (29 January 2015); Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 11.

  52. 52.

    ‘Nigeria’s forgotten crisis’ (2014); Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 11.

  53. 53.

    International Organization for Migration (2015).

  54. 54.

    UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (October 2014b).

  55. 55.

    UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (November 2014a), p. 4.

  56. 56.

    Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2013).

  57. 57.

    ‘Thousands displaced by Boko Haram flood Nigeria city’ (2015).

  58. 58.

    ‘Thousands displaced by Boko Haram flood Nigeria city’ (2015).

  59. 59.

    The Kampala Convention, above at note 14, art 9(2) (c).

  60. 60.

    Marama (2014).

  61. 61.

    Maina (2014).

  62. 62.

    Maina (2014).

  63. 63.

    ‘NEMA deploys more personnel, equipment in IDP camps in Adamawa’ (2014).

  64. 64.

    Ismail (2015).

  65. 65.

    ‘Boko Haram: when HIV visited Borno, Yobe IDPs’ camps’ (2015).

  66. 66.

    Dickson (2015).

  67. 67.

    Dickson (2015).

  68. 68.

    Idowu (2015).

  69. 69.

    Ismail (2015).

  70. 70.

    ‘IDPs from north-east Nigeria fear Boko Haram may return’ (2015).

  71. 71.

    The Kampala Convention, above at note 14, art 9(2) (g).

  72. 72.

    Ibrahim (2015).

  73. 73.

    ‘Adamawa: Boko Haram infiltrate Yola internally displaced persons camp’ (2014).

  74. 74.

    Ajakaye (2015).

  75. 75.

    African Union (2012), The Kampala Convention, art 9(2) (h).

  76. 76.

    Ross (2014).

  77. 77.

    Ismail (2015).

  78. 78.

    Ismail (2015); Abdulaziz and Faul (2015); ‘Amnesty International: Nigeria massacre deadliest in history of Boko Haram’ (2015).

  79. 79.

    ‘158 freed Boko Haram abductees reunited with their families’ (2015).

  80. 80.

    The Kampala Convention, above at note 14, art 9(2) (i).

  81. 81.

    ‘“Why we could not defeat Boko Haram” – army commander writes a powerful letter to President Jonathan’ (2014).

  82. 82.

    ‘Boko Haram destroys 16 towns, villages in Nigeria’ (2015).

  83. 83.

    ‘Nigeria: satellite images show horrific scale of Boko Haram attack on Baga’ (2015).

  84. 84.

    ‘Deadly Boko Haram raids destroy two Nigerian villages’ (2015).

  85. 85.

    ‘Troops reclaim Monguno from Boko Haram’ (2015); ‘Nigerian army reclaims Baga from Boko Haram’ (2015).

  86. 86.

    ‘In Adamawa IDPs camp, it’s 300 people to a toilet’ (2014); ‘Addressing health concerns in IDP camps’ (2014); Assessment Capacities Project (2014).

  87. 87.

    UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (2014c), p. 3; Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (2014), p. 11.

  88. 88.

    African Union (2012), The Kampala Convention, art 9(2) (k).

  89. 89.

    One of the displaced persons in Daware camp in the Fofure local government area of Adamawa stated that ‘I only have one cogent complain to the federal government to help us to our own deserted home as a matter of urgency. This place [IDP camp] is not conducive, and even if we eat all we want to eat, home is home, because there is no place like home.’ ‘NEMA, UN access IDP camps in Adamawa’ (2014).

  90. 90.

    Hamza et al. (2014), Audu (2015) and Oyoyo (2015).

  91. 91.

    ‘In Adamawa IDPs camp, it’s 300 people to a toilet’ (2014); ‘Addressing health concerns in IDP camps’ (2014); Assessment Capacities Project (2014).

  92. 92.

    ‘Pains of war’ (2015).

  93. 93.

    In line with article 12 of the Electoral Act, one of the condition upon which a person may be registered to vote is where such person is ‘ordinarily resident, works in, originates from the Local Government Area Council or Ward covered by the registration centre’. The Electoral Act further prohibits a person from registering in more than one registration centre at a time. Due to displacement, IDPs stand to be disqualified. The Electoral Act (2010); ‘INEC: 1m Boko Haram victims can’t vote in 2015’ (2014); Ajobe (2015); ‘Reps amend electoral act to allow IDPs vote during elections’ (2015); Orovwuje (2015).

  94. 94.

    ‘INEC told to uphold voting rights of internally displaced persons’ (2014).

  95. 95.

    2014–2016 revised strategic response plan: Nigeria (2014), p. 2.

  96. 96.

    2014–2016 revised strategic response plan: Nigeria (2014).

  97. 97.

    2014–2016 revised strategic response plan: Nigeria (2014).

  98. 98.

    2014–2016 revised strategic response plan: Nigeria (2014).

  99. 99.

    2014–2016 revised strategic response plan: Nigeria (2014).

  100. 100.

    African Union (2012), The Kampala Convention, art 5(6).

  101. 101.

    African Union (2012), The Kampala Convention, art 5(6).

  102. 102.

    ‘Nigeria to investigate alleged abuse of refugee camps’ (2015).

  103. 103.

    Dickson (2015).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Romola Adeola

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  1. School of Law, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa

    John-Mark Iyi

  2. Faculty of Law, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Hennie Strydom

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Adeola, R. (2018). Protecting Conflict-Induced Displacees in Northern Nigeria: Assessing the Compliance of the State with Article 9(2) of the Kampala Convention. In: Iyi, JM., Strydom, H. (eds) Boko Haram and International Law. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74957-0_13

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