The movement of populations from original habitations to new locations can be either voluntary or involuntary displacement depending on the circumstances surrounding the decision to relocate to a new habitation (Usoro, 2016). When the displaced populations are resettled in new locations within their country of origin, they are viewed as internally displaced persons (lDPs). In Nigeria for instance, the internal Displacement Monitoring Center Overview (2014), stated that over the years, the growing number of lDPs in Nigeria is becoming alarming. The report went further to indicate that there are about 3.3 million IDPs is Nigeria. Out of this figure, about 470,500 individuals were displaced in 2013 alone. This increase was largely attributed to Boko Haram attacks, the government’s heavy-handed counter insurgency operations and inter-communal clashes.
Displaced populations have often been under great stress, physical trauma, depression and anxiety due to separation from loved ones. This is often characterized by pre-migration and transit phases, followed by cultural dissonance, language barrier, racism, discrimination, economic adversity, overcrowding and other challenges culminate in drug use factors as coping mechanisms in attempts to deal with these stressors (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2015).
When drugs are consumed in amounts or with methods that are harmful to users themselves or others, to the extent of causing substance-related disorder, drug is therefore abused. In some cases, criminal or antisocial behaviours occur when the person is under the influence of drug, and long-term personality changes in individuals may occur as well (Ksir and Charles, 2002). Drug use is evidence among internally displaced persons and is becoming an issue for serious concern.
