Lawyers Alert drags FG to court over Benue IDP Crisis

A leading human rights organization in Nigeria, Lawyers Alert, has initiated a legal action against the Federal Government and the Attorney-General of the Federation, at the Federal High Court, Makurdi, Benue, over the ongoing humanitarian crisis affecting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue State.

The lawsuit seeks to address the Benue State IDP Crisis with a specific focus on the government’s failure to provide adequate security and facilitate the return of displaced citizens to their ancestral homes.

The Director in charge of Legal Department at Lawyers Alert, Barrister Bamidele Jacobs, said the objective was to ensure that the fundamental rights of the effected vulnerable groups are upheld.

He said, “The lawsuit is grounded in several provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999, as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, both of which guarantee the right to life, dignity, personal liberty, and security.

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“The lawsuit highlights the legal obligations of the Federal Government of Nigeria to protect the lives and property of its citizens, particularly the IDPs in Benue State as enshrined in Sections 33(1), 34(1), 35(1), and 14(2)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantee the rights to life, human dignity, and personal liberty.

“In addition, Articles 4, 5, 6, 16, 22, and 24 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights mandate that the government must provide security and ensure the best attainable state of physical and mental health for all its citizens, including displaced persons.

“The lawsuit underscores the deplorable living conditions in the camps, including overcrowding, lack of sanitation, insufficient security, and exposure to diseases, which have disproportionately affected women and children.

Jacobs lamented that reports of sexual violence and rape in the camps have exacerbated the situation and further eroding the dignity and safety of the displaced persons. He called on Federal Government to take necessary actions to address the humanitarian crisis at the Benue IDP camp.

He said Lawyers Alert in its suit is seeking a court declaration that the Nigerian government is bound by law to ensure the security of IDPs and return them to their homes.