WAQF and Social Finance as Avenue for Alleviating the Plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State, Nigeria

The violent acts of Boko Haram in Borno state of North-eastern Nigeria have triggered humanitarian crises with extensive social consequences such as displacement, hunger, malnutrition and poverty amongst others. Since in 2009, more than two million people have been internally displaced persons (IDPs) whom sought refuge in camps set up and run by state governments across the state. The effort of government and donor agencies aimed at alleviating crisis proof to be inadequate. Hence, humanitarian deficit exist in these camps and surrounding communities affected by the conflict. Therefore, resort to Waqaf as an Islamic social finance instrument may help in alleviating the plight and suffering of the IDPs by examining the potentials of Waqaf in filling the Humanitarian deficit caused by Boko Haram conflict. The paper adopted doctrinal and qualitative methods in achieving its aim. It concludes that Waqf is a mode of Islamic social finance and economic development and therefore recommends for the adoption or implementation of Waqaf in reducing the suffering of the IDP’s, incidence of widespread poverty, inequality and humanitarian deficits in the communities affected by Boko Haram conflict.