Assessment of Socioeconomic Problems Facing Returnees Displaced by Boko Haram Insurgency in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe State, Nigeria.

Abstract

The research which studied post insurgency socioeconomic problems with links to Boko Haram insurgency facing residents after their return to the once deserted towns was conducted between the months of November-December, 2018. The study made use of the Descriptive Survey design involving mixed methods. A total of 44,231 people comprising of local inhabitants of the six study locations formed the target population of the study. Slovene’s formular for determining sample size was used to select the 394 respondents who participated in the study. Purposive and Snowball sampling techniques were used to sample the respondents. A researcher made closed ended questionnaire and a structured Interview Guide were also used to collect data. All data collection procedures were self-administered. Quantitative data was analyzed in SPSS Version 20 using Descriptive Statistics while Thematic method was used to analyze the interview responses. Results on respondents’ demographic characteristics indicated that the majority of them were youth not possessing any formal western education. Bulk of them was also found to crop farmers. A lot of social problems such as lack of potable drinking water, lack of power supply, increased fear, epileptic healthcare delivery as well increase in crime rate were found to be facing the communities while economic problems associated with the insurgency among the communities included loss of business places, loss of sources of income, reduced business activities all of which cumulatively led to increased poverty affecting many families. Hence, it was concluded that, if these conditions are left unchecked, anger, frustrations, stigmatization and poverty will continue to escalate among the people. Consequently, factors believed to be the root causes of the insurgency will further be compounded and other unknown civil unrests can ensue. Thus, in order to avoid this, stringent measures should be taken to bring an end to the insurgency in its totality and socioeconomic problems facing the people should be well addressed.