# Introduction nherent peace is inevitable but its importance cannot be appreciated until when lost. This period is usually characterized with regrets of inability to manage such peace, coping strategies at the time of restlessness and measures of integrating peace into a society with no peace. As this looks like an illustration of typical communities in the ancient times, it is also an expressional model for displacement in the modern day society. Merriam Webster dictionary describes displacement as the act or process of displacing or the state of being displaced while displace is explained by the same as the removal from usual place. Hence, displacement is relative to norms and location. As a result, it cannot happen without evident change in position. Displacement within the context of societal development cannot be divorced from this ideology. Displacement within this realm is characterized with loss of livelihood, frustration, abuses, threat and assaults e.t.c. (Olukolajo et al, 2014). With these socio economic and spatial psychological implications of displacement and the global increase in the occurrence of the same (Oduwole et al, 2013) it becomes more than necessary to inquire into the phenomenon. The misery of displaced persons in recent years becomes a formidable problem of global significance and implications (Ladan, 2012). Displaced persons are catered for either by family, governmental/non-governmental organisations or a combination of both. While the needs of the displaced varies depending on their former status and intensity of their displacement, central to displaced persons are shelter, food and security. Meanwhile, it is expected that where shelter is provided, food and security should be provided which makes shelter paramount. Shelters funded by government or non-governmental organizations are provided for either in camps, camp like shelters or unorganized places. Most IDPs in Nigeria flee to neighbouring communities that are relatively safe, usually taking refuge in temporary shelters such as public buildings, schools, and places of worship among others; having been deprived of their homes and sometimes their land and livelihoods (Olukolajo, 2014). UNCHR, discovered that 91.4% of IDPs displaced 2014 live with their relatives while 7.6% lives in camps (UNCHR, 2014). Despite the little proportion of the camp residing IDPs, their state of welfare and preparation for reintegration into the society remains important. Paucity of data on displaced persons, their camps and afterwards has made it nearly impossible to evaluate the establishment as well as management of IDP camps. The roles of stakeholders in such has also been silent however the need for an inquiry into this is reflected in the continuous increase of the number of IDPs and the disheartening state of IDP camps. The role of environmentalists especially in the management of human settlement of any form cannot be underestimated but in their absence in the planning and management of IDPs camps, flaws are inevitable. Agencies saddled with the management of displacements have been established o reflect more of social mending establishment rather than social preventing and recuperation. Social mending in this regards means ensuring the social system is maintained even at the sight of vulnerability while social preventing entails putting in place condition, process and approaches that ensures nonoccurrence of displacement and social recuperation is the reintegration of the displaced back into the society. It is at achievement of the last stage that complete displacement management can be said to have been achieved. Hence the role of planners of various orientation such as advocacy planners, social planners, environmental management experts, disaster managers among other cannot be neglected. Although attention in both research and policy has been focused towards displaced persons, this varies from the causes and effects of displacement to the management of displacements hence it remains an understatement to posit that displacement as a discus is flooded with diverse converging interests. However, salient issues such as the roles of stakeholders especially in the built environment in the management of IDP camps has not been so discussed and this is the focus of this paper as it attempts to delineate the role of urban planners in the management of IDP camps in Nigeria. The questions central to this paper includes who are displaced persons, what are the situation of the displaced in the country and how has internally displaced persons camps been established and managed in the country. This paper state in clear terms the role of town planners in the management of IDP camps. To achieve this, it firstly examine the concept of internally displaced persons, it also make an overview description of displacement camps. The role of professionals in the management of these camps was also stated. # II. Internally Displaced Persons: the Concepts Displaced persons are those who have been forced or obliged or flee to have cause to leave their home or place of habitual residence in particular as a result of, or in order to avoid the effect of armed conflict, situations of generalized violence, violation of human rights or natural or human made disaster (Ladan, 2012). These people when within their own border are referred to as internally displaced persons and if (they) cross an internationally recognized state border are called refugee (OCHA, 2003;UN, 2004). The definition of IDPs has two major components which are the coercive or involuntary character of movement and the fact that such movement takes place between national border (Durosaro and Ajiboye, 2011). However, this definition has been criticized to be more of descriptive than legal because internally displaced persons have no binding international convention dedicated United Nation Agency charged with their protection and assistance (Ellen and Kudzai, 2014). The very reason internal displacement has attracted little concern comparatively to refugee meanwhile both (IDPs and refugees) are subjected to the same condition of psychological imbalance, financial instability and vulnerability. Internal displacement is caused by under development, poverty, unequal distribution of wealth, unemployment, ethnic tensions, political and economic subjugations of minorities, intolerance, absence of democratic procedures (Oduwole et al, 2013). They are mostly unfortunate victims of the brutality of man against man, various kind of injustice or violence confrontation, perpeterated either by their own government against them or by others such as terrorism, community clashes, religious conflicts, riots, natural disasters and so on (Olukolajo, 2014). This could also be as a result of development projects (Robinson, 2003) and urban renewal activities. Meanwhile, the older causes of internal displacement have been clouded by the upscale of terrorism and related vices in Nigeria. Conflicts have been triggered by disputes over access to land, kingship, cultural, residual citizenship and broader question of identity (Oduwole et al, 2013). The activities of ethno cultural groups have at one time or the other contributed to the increasing number of internally displaced in Nigeria (Olukolajo, 2014). It is a common result of both communal violence and internal armed conflicts (Oduwole et al, 2013). IDPs are the largest group of vulnerable people in the world (UNCHR, 2007) because they are subjected to situation of extreme poverty, human right abuses (Olukolajo et al, 2014) dependent and usually lack choice. This is usually coupled with threat to physical safety and restrictions on freedom of movement (IDMC, 2014). They also suffer emotional problems characterized with fearful events and nightmare (Durosayo and Ajiboye, 2011). In recent times, the rate of displacement has increased globally (IDMC, 2014) with it being largely accounted for by Africa and Asia. Infact, as reported by Oduwole et al, (2013), the estimated number of globally displaced person is around fifty million and with the current global population estimate of about 10 billion, it implies that about 0.5% of the world is displaced. Armed conflicts, mass violation of human rights as well as flood, earthquake and human disaster have increased the number of people fleeing their homes (Oduwole et al, 2013). This has also affected settlement arrangement as settle along religious and ethnic divides as commonly found in most Nigerian Northern cities (Gambo and Omirin, 2012). This paper although establishes and delineates between internally displaced persons and refugee intends to address the issue of displacement from another angle which is the realities of IDP camps. Little or no research attention has been directed along this lane especially from urban planning perspective possibly because of the sheer over look of these camps, its non-permanent nature, the situation at which development of such emerges. Irrespective, the spatial characteristics of IDPs camps makes it a responsibility of inquiry for town planners. Also, the need for the ordering of such settlements irrespective of its situation of occurrence further clarifies the need for the positioning of urban planners in its development and management. # III. Trend of Internal Displacement IDMC accounts that in 1982; only 1.2 million people were displaced in 11 countries while 20-25 million people were displaced at the end of 2012. This indicates a global increase in the incidence of IDPs. The cause of this is not farfetched as it includes exposure of countries to disasters, violence and increase tide of terrorism. Of those that were internally displaced by conflict and communal violence, more than half, an estimated 12.1 million persons are in Africa with over 1 million in fifteen ECOWAS states (Onijala, 2006). Around the world, some 23.7 million women, men and children has been internally displaced by conflict, communal violence and internal strife (Kalin, 2006). The number of displaced induced by disaster far outweigh those from natural circumstance such as landslide, ocean surge, fire e,t,c (Mango, 2011). The total number of displaced persons is currently estimated around fifty million worldwide with majority of these people in Africa (Oduwole et al, 2013). The full scope of IDPs in Nigeria is not known (Egwu, 2011). This is because of the limited capacity of the state to collect data and the complex nature of displacement problems. Where such figures exist, they are inaccurate because of the fluctuating nature of internal displacement (Durosaro and Ajiboye, 2011). Despite this, account of IDPs in Nigeria still exists, though this may not cover the whole of the nation, or may reflect those accounted to terrorism with partial or total neglect of those from other sources. IDMC in its global overview in 2014 revealed that Nigeria has Africa highest number of persons displaced by conflict ranking behind Syria and Colombia. Tracking Matrix report of 2014 accounted that there are about 389, 381 IDPs (60, 232 households) in Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and Yobe states with the highest occurrence of such individuals in Yobe (125,991 IDPs), Adamawa (123,601 IDPs) and Taraba (81, 790 IDPs). There are about a half million of IDPs in Nigeria alone (Onijala, 2006). This is due to unfounded argument in religious, belief, underdevelopment, poverty, unequal distribution of wealth, ethnic tensions, unemployment, political and economic subjugation of minorities, absence of democratic procedures, intolerance and many other factors (Olukolajo et al, 2014). The advancement of bokoharam activities from territorial attack and inland invasion adds to the number of IDPs (IDMC, 2013) The emergence of IDPs can be traced to violent communal clash in mid 1960s (Olagunju, 2006). However, modern trend of large scale displacement is associated with the return of democracy in 1960 (Oduwole et al, 2013). Since return of civilian rule in 1999, record has it that thousands of people have been killed in recurring intercommunal conflicts and politically motivated violence that has also led to large waves of internal displacement (IDMC, 2013).In 2009, thousands of people were displaced in one of the clashes between government forces and MEND ( IV. # The Realtieis of IDPs Camps Displacement leaves negative socio economic footprints in millions of people worldwide (Olukolajo et al, 2014). During violent conflicts or natural disaster, IDPs are usually forced to leave; most houses and properties are destroyed, looted or burnt down (Ladan, 2012). It leaves the displaced with the quest for shelter and survival. However with the incapacity of IDPs these quests is usually hindered. Meanwhile, this is either catered for by relatives or government. While it is the constitutional responsibility of the latter that these needs are met, the former through social ties and sense of communal relationship may provide such. It must be noted here that the primary needs of IDPs remains shelter, food and opportunities to reduce dependence. Olukolajo (2014) revealed that IDPs has reportedly prefer to seek shelter with relatives rather than living in camps. The vast majority of displaced persons in Nigeria reportedly seek refuge with family, friends or host communities in areas where their ethnic or religious group is in majority (Je' adayibe, 2008). This is partly because of their tentative assurance of freedom, care and provision which comparatively is better provided by relatives than in IDPs camps. This relatives could be near if displacement is not at large scale such that relatives are also not displaced but in the situation of the contrary, living in camps are usually resulted to. The importance of camping in management of internal displacement cannot be underestimated. Well managed camps and camp like setting can strengthen physical, legal and material protection and security. In Nigeria, the recent magnitude of displacement and the distance of such displacement to relatives of victims have usually aided the living in camps of IDPs. Also, since majority of those displaced in Nigeria are women and children with little affinity with relatives, their living in camps in inevitable. The position of National Emergency Management Authority, Norwegian Refugee Council and other organisations cannot be underestimated in this regard. Coupled with the fact that there are no official IDPs camp of long lasting nature in the country (Oduwole, 2013), the non-availability of accurate and comprehensive record as regards displacement is also reflected in the situation of camping. The statistics of IDPs camps in the country is not available and their condition is remains inaccessible. Their spatial characteristics remain unmapped and where data exists it is not holistic as it is usually fragmented. These are mostly accounts of individual authority in charge of displacement management neglecting the unregistered camps which actually accounts for the highest numbers of IDPs camps. Internal Displacement Monitoring Committee (IDMC) an offshoot of the Norwegian refugee council (NRC) an independent, non-governmental. Despite this unwholesome situation, national dailies such as punch, tribune and vanguard among others has pointed gap in the situation of IDP camps in the country. The absence of united nation convention principles on the establishment and management of IDPs camp has made its establishment substantially relative rather than definitive. The question that arises here includes what is the situation of IDP camps in Nigeria and what are the roles of town planners in the establishment and administration of these camps. UNICEF in April, 2015 revealed that in the IDP camps, 18% threshold of malnutrition is recorded, a situation higher than the global emergency threshold of 15%. In December, 2015, Rotimi Olawale in the paradigm identified welfare, security and rehabilitation as problems faced by IDPs in their camps. With particular reference to Malkohi IDP camp in Yola, he accounted that the camp has 215 households, 777 children excluding men and women, has no security, no electricity and health care facilities. Infact, one of the publications of "The Nation", a national daily described the unhealthy situation of IDPs camps in Nigeria as "In shelters???.basic amenities like kitchen, water, electricity, clinics and classrooms blocks are almost non-existent. Some camps have shown to be derelict and unfit for human habitation while food supply and security have posed serious challenge both for managers and inmates". In a related tone, naij.com (an online news agency) revealed that as at May, 2015, there are 21 IDP camps across the northern part of Nigeria. It went further to report that inhabitants of the camps have to deal with critical challenges as absence of first aid challenges. The above description reveals a non-palatable condition of IDP camps which IDPs were forcefully subjected to. V. # Postioning Planners in the Management of IDP Camps The complex nature of problems associated with internally displaced persons (IDPs) as well as their camping, no doubt demands an interdisciplinary approach. However, the role of different professionals has not been so delineated to achieve section (18) of guiding principle of IDPs. This has overtime caused confusion amidst professionals, overlapping of offices and authorities as well as poor responses to displacement issues. In order to eradicate the earlier mentioned with particular reference to urban and regional planners, this section explains the position of planners in the management of IDP camps. Management from the generic perspective entails assurance of effectiveness and sustainability of a process through predefined activities. Hence, management of IDP camps should start from the prevention of displacement as this will help slim the population of displaced persons in camps. In this regard, town planners are to engage in advocacy planning. Advocacy planning helps ensure good governance and aids the achievement of goals and purpose of the masses. Most of the causes of human induced displacement are entangled with bad governance, exclusion of the poor, social dichotomy among others. Advocating on behalf of the masses will centralize development, subject individual to equal opportunities among others. Provision of jobs will discourage youths from acts of terrorism and other criminal activities. The role of poverty in human induced displacement cannot be underestimated hence planners are to be engaged for the envisioning of smart cities to provide resilience opportunities for financially vulnerable individuals. At the sight of displacement where IDP camps are inexcusable, town planners with a complete orientation of social, economic, legal and physical percepts are within the purview of their profession needed for: A. Spatial Location of the IDP Camps: the realities of IDP camps start with location of such camps. This decision goes beyond provision of security and shelter at the sight of no choice to include convenience of the location, infrastructural strength of the community and the IDP camps among others. This isthe chief responsibility of town planners as planning itself aims at ensuring that the right thing is at the right place at the right time. The questions of where can IDPs be located?, if schools are to be used, what is the capacity of such schools among others can be answered. B. Data Collection and mapping: Planners can engage in the collection of data of IDPs and the camps. This will give a better definition and description of the same and such provision required by these vulnerable individuals can be provided. C. Rehabilitation: the most important aspect of IDPs management is rehabilitation as the ineffective practice of these causes protracted displacement, a situation that drives the economic, social and physical fragment of the society. The real IDP problem is that people cannot return to their old homes for fear of persecution (Olagunju, 2006). Because of the reduction in choice due to displacement, there is need for rehabilitation through reintegration of IDPs back into their society or relatively safe environment where shelter, jobs, social life among others will be provided. However, these areas are expected to reflect displaced persons culture, accommodate their needs and sustain their desires. This can be professionally provided for by town planners. ![Oduwole et al, 2013), a situation that increases the number of displaced persons in the country. Additional 2 million was added across the country by flooding in 2012. In 2014, the escalating violence caused by the book haram insurgency in the north eastern region has led to an increase in the number of IDPs especially in Adamawa, Borno, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states. Source: Adapted from IDMC, 2014 Linear (Number of IDPs)](image-2.png "") © 2016 Global Journals Inc. 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