Internal Displaced Persons and Their Information Needs

This study aims at establishing the information needs of internal displacement persons (IDPs) amongst us. The quantitative and evaluative research design was adopted for this study. The census sampling technique was used in selecting most affected local governments in Borno camps. Simple random technique was used in selecting most affected five local governments out of 20 local government’s utmost affected by insurgency in Borno State, Nigeria. Four objectives were set for the study and the interview was used for gathering data from respondents. As of the time of collecting data for this study, five local governments that were seriously affected among twenty local governments conquered by insurgency are: Ngala, Dikwa, Bama, Damboa, and Chibok. Finding shown that (64%) were female while (36%) were male. Findings also reveals that the information needs of IDPs include security (100%), health information (98%), foods/family and relationship (95%), new/current happening (93%), finance(91% ), life decision (90%), property (74%), shelter (67%), among others. Use of information to relocate their family (99%) topped the list of the use of information by the IDPs. The majority of the respondents found IDPs camps condition inadequate (85%). Factors affecting information seeking behaviour of the IDPs include, lack of fund (97%), irregular medical care (95%), lack of accommodation (94%), lack of food (92%), poor living condition (87%), exposure to violence/abuse (86%), corruptions (74%), government policies(60%), sexual abuse(50%), among others. The paper concludes that State and Federal Government should take into consideration the IDPs information needs amongst us, thereby provide adequate funding, shelters, foods, proper health care and security. Recommendations were put forward to enhance access to information by the IDPs and ensure their safety wherever they are