A prominent Nigerian lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, has urged the federal government to allocate a special budget for vulnerable people living in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps.
The human rights lawyer stressed the need for a dedicated annual budget, warning that neglecting displaced individuals could foster societal unrest.
“When the children among these people grow up and discover that society denied them many privileges, they may take up arms,” Ozekhome said. “No one who is gainfully employed will begin carrying guns in the forest and waylaying people.”
He added that many bandits resort to crime as a form of retaliation against a society that failed them.
“My message to the government is for these people to know that a government exists through welfare initiatives. It is enshrined in Section 14 of the Constitution for welfare and security of the citizens,” he emphasised.
—Ezinwanne Onwuka reports for TruthNigeria from Abuja.
