AN ASSESSMENT OF THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF INSECURITY ON INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS IN CHIKUN AND KAJURU LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS OF KADUNA STATE: 2020 – 2024

Abstract

This study assessed the socio-economic effects of insecurity on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Chikun and Kajuru Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Kaduna State between 2020 and 2024. Theoretically, the study was anchored on relative deprivation theory (RDT), which emphasizes the multi-dimensional nature of threats to human dignity and survival. A Mixed-Method Research (MMR) design, specifically the Explanatory Sequential Design, was adopted. The study population comprised 39,758 IDPs, from which a sample of 400 was drawn using the Taro Yamane formula for quantitative surveys, while 21 key informants were purposively selected for in-depth interviews. Data were collected using structured questionnaires, interview guides, and observation, and analyzed through simple percentages for quantitative data and thematic analysis for qualitative narratives. Findings revealed a collapse of rural livelihoods, with over 95% of respondents losing access to their farmlands and transitioning from agricultural producers to unskilled menial laborers. The study documented a state of "service invisibility," with 51% of displaced children out of school and 88% of families unable to afford healthcare in their host communities. Furthermore, the results indicated that while shared ethnicity initially fostered hospitality, prolonged economic scarcity has triggered and social friction. The study concluded that displacement has resulted in structural de-skilling and long-term economic marginalization. It recommended the establishment of "Secure Agricultural Recovery Zones" to enable safe return to farming, the implementation of a "Social Shield" digital registry to provide health and education waivers for integrated IDPs, and the provision of zero-interest micro-credit schemes to break the cycle of debt.