SOKOTO, Nigeria — Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called for urgent government intervention at the Ramin Kura Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camp in Sokoto North Local Government Area after visiting the facility during a two-day engagement in Sokoto State.
Obi visited the camp on Tuesday, September 29, where he said more than 1,000 internally displaced persons were living in difficult conditions.
In a statement following the visit, Obi said he was particularly concerned by the condition of the accommodation, with displaced Nigerians living in makeshift shelters and thatched rooms.
He said some rooms were accommodating as many as 10 people, while the camp lacked adequate toilet facilities, a primary healthcare centre and a basic school for children. His observations have also been reported by Nigerian media outlets following the visit.
Obi said the situation demonstrated the need for government to improve temporary accommodation for displaced Nigerians while addressing the security problems that forced them to leave their communities.
“As long as even one Nigerian lives in an IDP camp, we are all internally displaced,” Obi said.
He called on the Federal Government and relevant agencies to immediately address the pressing needs of residents at the camp and work towards creating the security conditions necessary for displaced people to return to their ancestral homes.
Obi said the Sokoto visit marked his 12th visit to an IDP camp across Nigeria, adding that he would continue supporting displaced Nigerians.
He also criticised the conditions facing vulnerable Nigerians and called on political office holders to spend their holidays within the country so they could see firsthand the difficulties experienced by citizens living in affected communities.
According to Obi, his wider consultations in Sokoto focused on insecurity, out-of-school children, poverty, youth unemployment and drug prevalence, among other issues affecting residents.
He urged the government and relevant agencies to act immediately on the conditions at the Ramin Kura camp.
The visit came as Obi and his running mate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, continued their political engagements across Sokoto State ahead of the 2027 general elections.
