Appraisal of the Nigerian Red Cross Society’s Intervention on the Protracted Refugee Situations of the Displaced Bakassi People

Abstract

Protracted refugee situations have constituted serious welfare and security challenges for displaced persons especially in Nigeria. Most of the time, government show little or no concern in providing their basic needs. As such, non-governmental organisations intervene to assuage the associated humanitarian crisis. Unfortunately, the government often relax in their responsibilities when non-governmental organisations intervene, pretending that their basic needs have been met. It is in the light of this circumstance, that it was deemed necessary to appraise the intervention of the Nigerian Red Cross Society on the protracted refugee situations of the displaced Bakassi people and ascertain the basic needs met and the ones that still need the serious attention of the government. The findings showed that although the Nigerian Red Cross Society intervened in the areas of food supply, social services, medical care, and skill acquisition, they are not sufficient for government to ignore the pathetic conditions of the displaced Bakassi people. It is therefore recommended that the Nigerian government should partner with non-governmental organisations in attending to the basic welfare and security needs of the displaced Bakassi people.