2.2 million people displaced in Nigeria: UNHCR

Abuja: The population of internally displaced people (IDP) in restive northeast Nigeria has risen to 2.2 million, a top official with United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR) has said.The UNHCR representative to Nigeria Angele Dikongue-Atangana gave the statistics on Thursday during the UNHCR 2015 stakeholders' briefing of the commission's representation in Nigeria. Dikongue-Atangana said that the agency would not relent in its humanitarian support to Nigeria, urging partners and donor agencies to assist refugees and displaced persons.[caption id="attachment_2114575" align="alignleft" width="380"] Representational image. AP[/caption]While the UNHCR has recorded success in its 2015 operations in Nigeria addressing refugee and IDP plights, there is more work to be done. Dikongue-Atangana said that plans were already in progress to repatriate 165 others back to their country before the end of the year, while resettling others to a third country in Europe, and the US. According to her, the commission in its action plan supervised the voluntary repatriation of 452 Cameroon refugees back to their country.She said UNHCR was working closely with relevant bodies to ensure that IDPs had their basic rights especially the right to existence, food, shelter, education, security, among other amenities.(IANS)