CHALLENGES OF ACCESSING BASIC NECESSITIES BY INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN GARAKU IDP CAMP, KOKONA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, NASARAWA STATE - NIGERIA

One red-hot issue that has trapped the attention of the international community is that of internal displacement resulting from both man-made and natural occurrences. The paper examines challenges of accessing basic necessities by internally displaced persons in Garaku IDP Camp, Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State-Nigeria. The social survey research design was adopted for this paper. Data were collected using quantitative methods. 152 questionnaires were distributed among internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Garaku IDP Camp, through simple random sampling techniques. Data collected showed that sex, religion, and educational attainment have influenced the challenges of accessing basic Necessities by internally displaced persons in Garaku IDP Camp, Kokona Local Government Area, Nasarawa State- Nigeria. The paper recommends that Government agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations, Security operatives, and other critical stakeholders should overhaul the relief material distribution process through the strict monitoring of the distribution team to avoid misuse of authority, diversion of relief materials, segregation, harassment, gender bias, and other irregularities before, during and after distribution. Also, there is the need for proper coordination among NGOs and other humanitarian bodies to ensure items provided for IDPs (especially women and children) are not diverted.