Biggest refugee camps in northeastern Nigeria to close in next weeks, governor said

The governor of the state of Borno, in the north-east of Nigeria, visited the refugee camp of Muna on Monday and announced its closure in the next few weeks. 

Since 2021, the Borno regional government has already shut down 17 refugee camps around the city of Maiduguri, in a region that has been the epicentre of jihadist violence in Nigeria. 

The closure of the Muna camp had been delayed by the floods that affected the state of Borno last September. Governor Babagana Zulum said crime levels within the camp required swift action. 

Muna was the biggest camp for displaced people in the region, with more than 10,000 families listed in early 2024. 

Over the past 15 years, official refugee camps welcomed more than 80% of the 2 million people displaced by the conflict between the Nigerian army and jihadist group Boko Haram. 

Authorities give refugees between €20 and €50 for them to return to their hometowns, or to relocate to so-called safe zones.  

But human rights groups say the government has provided insufficient support to help families live with dignity.  

“The Borno State government is harming hundreds of thousands of displaced people already living in precarious conditions to advance a dubious government development agenda to wean people off humanitarian aid”, said Anietie Ewang, Nigeria researcher at Human Rights Watch in a 2022 press release.

“By forcing people from camps without creating viable alternatives for support, the government is worsening their suffering and deepening their vulnerability.”

Nigeria’s northeastern region has also been experiencing a recent surge in violence. Two jihadist attacks killed almost 50 people in late April. Another attack killed at least 40 farmers in January.