No Nigerian will remain in IDP camp under my watch — Obi

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has vowed to end prolonged displacement in Nigeria, saying his administration would have failed if any citizen remained in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp 18 months after assuming office.

Obi made the pledge on Wednesday in Jos, Plateau State, while outlining his priorities on national unity and security ahead of the 2027 general election.

He said his proposed administration would prioritise the protection of lives and the return of displaced persons to their communities, particularly in states affected by persistent killings and insecurity.

The former Anambra State governor lamented divisions along ethnic and religious lines, insisting that national unity was critical to addressing Nigeria’s challenges.

“We are divided along tribal lines, religious lines, and that should not be, we are Nigerians,” he said.

Obi also pledged to end killings in communities across Plateau and Benue states, assuring residents that his administration would work to prevent families from losing their loved ones to violence.

“In a place like Plateau and Benue where people are being killed daily, I assure you that no mother will cry again for her children,” he said.

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He said his familiarity with the security situation in Plateau was informed by visits to Bokkos, Mangu and Barkin Ladi, where he had witnessed the hardship faced by affected communities.

“No other presidential candidate has been to Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin Ladi, so I know the pain that people are going through,” he said.

Obi also expressed confidence that a joint administration with former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso as vice-president would tackle kidnapping and insecurity.

“With Kwankwaso and I as the president and vice president of this country, nobody will kidnap school children and go into the bush,” he said.