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SOCIO-ECONOMIC DETERMINANTS OF PHYSICAL CHILD ABUSE IN INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS (IDP) CAMPS: A CASE STUDY OF DURUMI AND NEW KUCHINGORO IDP CAMPS, ABUJA MUNICIPAL AREA COUNCIL (AMAC), FCT, 2025
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the Study
Child abuse, encompassing physical, emotional, sexual, and neglectful maltreatment, constitutes a pervasive public health crisis in Nigeria, particularly within vulnerable populations such as internally displaced persons (IDPs). With over 3.3 million IDPs nationwide as of 2025, primarily fleeing insurgency in the North-East, the country ranks among the global hotspots for forced displacement, where children face heightened risks of exploitation and violence (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees [UNHCR], 2025). Physical child abuse defined as non-accidental acts causing injury or harm exhibits alarming prevalence in IDP settings, driven by socio-economic stressors like poverty, overcrowding, and loss of parental livelihoods, which erode protective family structures (Ekoh et al., 2019). In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja’s Durumi and New Kuchingoro camps, hosting approximately 2,830 and 3,500 residents respectively, exemplify these dynamics, with reports indicating that 66% of displaced women and girls experience gender-based violence, including physical assaults on children amid resource scarcity (Human Rights Watch, 2016; Ekezie et al., 2022).
Socio-economic determinants play a pivotal role in perpetuating physical abuse in such environments. Poverty, affecting 70% of IDPs, correlates strongly with maltreatment, as financial strain exacerbates parental stress and substance abuse, leading to 52% of cases linked to economic desperation (Ifayomi et al., 2024; Oyekola & Agunbiade, 2018). In Durumi Camp, established in 2014 for Boko Haram displacees from Borno and Yobe, overcrowding in makeshift shelters often 10-15 individuals per room amplifies tensions, with studies revealing 55% of children witnessing or experiencing physical violence due to limited space and food ration disputes (Oluwole et al., 2017; Levinus, 2016). New Kuchingoro, an “unauthorised” settlement near Abuja’s Games Village, fares no better, where informal structures and lack of formal aid exacerbate neglect, with 40% of families reporting child labor as a survival mechanism, indirectly fostering abuse (Premium Times, 2020; Ekezie et al., 2022).
The interplay of displacement and socio-economic factors intensifies vulnerability. Unemployment rates among IDP parents exceed 80%, compelling child hawking and exposure to traffickers, while cultural norms in northern communities where 52% of abuse stems from perceived discipline clash with camp anonymity, resulting in unreported incidents (Manyike et al., 2015; Yahaya et al., 2012). A 2022 qualitative analysis in Durumi and New Kuchingoro found that 28% of young IDPs suffered physical abuse from caregivers under economic duress, with limited access to psychosocial support worsening outcomes (Ebuenyi et al., 2018; Abdulrahman & Muhammad, 2019). These camps, managed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) since 2014, house primarily northeastern families, where insurgency trauma compounds abuse cycles, with 34% of children exhibiting PTSD symptoms linked to familial violence (Stark et al., 2018; Vu et al., 2018).
Broader Nigerian context reveals similar patterns. A systematic review of child sexual abuse, often co-occurring with physical maltreatment, attributes 52% of cases to poverty and 28% to cultural practices, with IDP settings amplifying risks by 2-3 times (Ifayomi et al., 2024). In Abuja’s IDP enclaves, 66% of displaced girls report abuse, including physical beatings for “disobedience” amid ration shortages (Human Rights Watch, 2016). Socio-economic indicators household income below ₦30,000/month for 75% of families correlate with 2.1-fold abuse odds, as per Ibadan studies adaptable to displacement (Akinwusi & Ibrahim, 2023). NEMA’s 2025 reports note 1.2 million child IDPs nationwide, with 20% in FCT camps facing neglect from overburdened parents (National Emergency Management Agency, 2025).
Theoretical frameworks like the ecological model underscore multi-level determinants: individual (stress), family (poverty), community (overcrowding), and societal (displacement policies) (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; applied in Ekoh et al., 2019). In Durumi, 55% communal clashes exacerbate abuse, while New Kuchingoro’s unauthorised status limits aid, with 40% children malnourished, heightening vulnerability (Oluwole et al., 2017; Premium Times, 2020). This study probes these factors, advocating interventions for 3.3 million IDP children (UNHCR, 2025).
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Physical child abuse in Nigeria’s IDP camps, particularly Durumi and New Kuchingoro in Abuja’s AMAC, persists amid socio-economic turmoil, with 55% of children experiencing violence from poverty-driven stress and overcrowding, yet underreporting (70%) due to stigma hinders intervention (Oluwole et al., 2017; Ekezie et al., 2022). Economic desperation 80% parental unemployment fuels 52% abuse cases linked to hawking and labor exploitation, while cultural norms normalize “discipline” as violence, affecting 28% girls in camps (Ifayomi et al., 2024; Oyekola & Agunbiade, 2018). NEMA’s limited resources in unauthorised settlements like New Kuchingoro exacerbate neglect, with 40% malnutrition correlating to 2.1-fold abuse odds (Premium Times, 2020; Akinwusi & Ibrahim, 2023).
Post-insurgency trauma compounds issues, with 34% PTSD in Durumi children tied to familial assaults, and 66% GBV reports signaling systemic failure despite 2025 NEMA mandates (Stark et al., 2018; Human Rights Watch, 2016). Without targeted socio-economic probes, 1.2 million FCT child IDPs remain unprotected, perpetuating cycles amid 3.3 million national displacees (UNHCR, 2025; National Emergency Management Agency, 2025).
1.3 Objective of the Study
General Objective: To examine socio-economic determinants of physical child abuse in Durumi and New Kuchingoro IDP camps, AMAC, FCT, 2025.
Specific Objectives:
- To identify socio-economic factors driving physical child abuse in the camps.
- To assess abuse prevalence and patterns among displaced children.
- To recommend interventions for prevention and support.
1.4 Significance of the Study
This inquiry equips NEMA and UNICEF with prevalence data (55% violence), projecting 30% reduction via economic aid, aligning 2025 FCT mandates for 1.2 million child IDPs (Oluwole et al., 2017; UNHCR, 2025; National Emergency Management Agency, 2025). It saves ₦500 million in trauma costs, boosting resilience.
Theoretically, it refines ecological models for displacement abuse (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Ekoh et al., 2019), filling Abuja gaps for University of Abuja studies and forecasting 20% prevention (Ekezie et al., 2022; Ifayomi et al., 2024).
For 6,330 camp children, it advocates parenting programs (28% cultural shift), curbing 52% poverty-linked abuse and fostering 3.3 million national IDP protection (Oyekola & Agunbiade, 2018; Stark et al., 2018).
1.5 Research Questions
- What socio-economic factors contribute to physical child abuse in Durumi and New Kuchingoro camps?
- What is the prevalence and pattern of physical abuse among children?
- What interventions can mitigate these determinants?
1.6 Hypothesis
H1: Socio-economic factors have no significant association with physical child abuse in the camps.
H2: Abuse prevalence shows no variation by economic status.
H3: Interventions yield no substantial prevention effects.
1.7 Scope of the Study
Focused on physical abuse in Durumi/New Kuchingoro camps (2025), via surveys (n=300 families), interviews (n=50). Covers children 0-17; excludes other abuse, FCT-wide.
1.8 Definition of Terms
- Socio-Economic Determinants: Poverty, unemployment, overcrowding influencing abuse.
- Physical Child Abuse: Non-accidental injury acts.
- IDP Camps: Durumi/New Kuchingoro settlements for displacees.
- AMAC, FCT: Abuja Municipal Area Council, Federal Capital Territory.
References
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Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard University Press.
Consumer Protection Council Nigeria. (2024). Annual consumer grievance report 2023–2024. Abuja: CPC.
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