Former Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, has urged Nigerians to support refugees, internally displaced persons and vulnerable people, while also taking deliberate steps to prevent the incidents that lead to displacement.
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Fashola made the call at an event organised by the African Refugees Foundation to mark the 2026 World Refugee Day.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the foundation’s Chief Executive Officer, Olujimi Olusola.
Fashola said the growing number of refugees and internally displaced persons should remind Nigerians of the need to promote peace, resolve disputes peacefully and avoid actions that could trigger displacement.
“We must do whatever we can beyond giving support to refugees to prevent the incidents of displacement from occurring in whatever position we find ourselves,” he said.
According to him, preventing conflict and resolving disputes peacefully remain critical to reducing displacement.
“The prevention of conflict, the resolution of conflict, if we can prevent it, but certainly not the instigation of conflict,” he added.
The former governor also identified natural disasters, including flooding and extreme weather conditions, as major causes of displacement, stressing the need for Nigerians to take environmental protection seriously.
“When they tell us how to protect, defend and use our environment, there are messages of what we as a people can contribute to prevent events or mitigate events that result in the displacement of people,” he said.
Fashola said his understanding of the plight of refugees changed after he encountered displaced professionals, including lawyers and accountants.
“The idea of refugees once looked too far away and almost impossible, until I met professionals — lawyers, accountants — who had become refugees. It was a humbling moment.
“That was when it dawned on me that every time we choose conflict over peace, we certainly do not understand the chain reaction we might start,” he said.
Earlier, Olusola said the African Refugees Foundation would distribute cooked and raw food items to about 10,000 refugees, internally displaced persons and vulnerable individuals across Lagos and other states.
He said the initiative, which was flagged off in Surulere, also featured free health checks and counselling for indigent residents.
Olusola added that the foundation hopes to expand its impact by equipping beneficiaries with economic skills, subject to the availability of resources.
He said the programme was also designed to raise awareness about the plight of refugees and displaced persons globally.
“Refugees and internally displaced persons are human beings, and anyone can find themselves in such situations,” he said.
Also speaking, Lai Oriowo of Odu’a Investment Company, who represented the Chairman, Bimbo Ashiru, said support for refugees should be seen as service to humanity rather than mere charity.
He stressed that conflict prevention remains essential to peaceful coexistence, adding that anyone could become displaced in times of crisis.
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