ABSTRACT:

This paper is an exposition on the growing challenge of internal population displacement in Nigeria since the birth of the Fourth Republic. The paper interrogates the challenge of various cases of violence on internal population displacement during three successive administrations of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Late Alhaji Musa Yar’Adua and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. It argues that the major cause of this great human tragedy which has not only led to the disruption of human lives and property but also constituted a major threat to national peace and security is violence. The paper contends that the root causes of violence which could be ethno-religious, inter-ethnic, political and inter-communal are hinged on a decade of poor governance, underdevelopment of peripheral areas populated by ethnic minorities, mismanagement of identity conflicts, chronic abuse of power resulting in egregious violations of human rights, gross inequities in the shaping and sharing of power, national wealth and so on. It concludes that there is need for adequate management of various conflicts, ensuring equitable resource allocation, the practice of true federalism, the promotion of good governance, and national security.