GIS-BASED SUITABLE SITE SELECTION FOR INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS' CAMPS IN ABUJA, NIGERIA

Abstract

Natural and human disasters ranging from insurgency to flooding have increased the incidences of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Nigeria. This paper thus studies GIS-based suitable site selection for internally displaced person camps in Abuja, Nigeria. The methodological approaches applied in this study are based on supervised image classification and multi-criteria evaluation methods for IDP site selection. The criteria for site selection used are slope, elevation, land cover, proximity to waterbody, town, schools, hospitals, tourism and the main roads. The final weighted model was grouped as an unsuitable, less suitable, and most suitable site. The results of the analysis show that 2.73% of the study area was most appropriate for the IDP campsite, 59.23% suitable, 36.13% less suitable, and 1.91% of the total area was unsuitable. Based on the combined suitability scores, the north-central districts of Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) comprising Mpape, Kado, Jabi, Jahi, Kubwa, and tiny portions of Wuse are most suitable for IDP settlement locations. From the analysis, the study concludes that more than 61% of land in AMAC has the potential for internally displaced camps. This study recommends a list of criteria that government and policymakers on IDP should consider when choosing an appropriate and suitable site for internally displaced persons.