GOVERNMENT RESETTLEMENT PROGRAMME AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY OF DISPLACED BAKASSI INDIGENES

Abstract

Following the International Court of Justice judgment on Bakassi Peninsula, Nigeria withdrew its military and citizens from the disputed enclave. While avoiding interstate conflict, the existential imperatives of the displaced Bakassi indigenes were not adequately accommodated. The study aims to review the government resettlement programme in the post International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment, and its effect on the socio-economic sustainability of the displaced Bakassi people. The research adopted the diffusion theory of resettlement and the Chambers Participatory Development Model (CPDM) to explain the contesting issues regarding IDPs and complexity of resettlement. The qualitative research method involving semi-structured interview employed, and thematic inductive analysis was used to generate primary evidences. Also, the content analysis approach was used in the analysis of secondary data. Findings suggest that the government resettlement programme did align with extant local and international principles governing the resettlement of IDPs. And that the government resettlement programme was ineffective in addressing the socioeconomic sustainability question of the people. Also, that there is no evidence to suggest that the displaced Bakassi indigenes fully participated in their plight of adequate resettlement. The study argues that, resulting from poor implementation process, the people continue to suffer several years of displacement from their ancestral homes.  Therefore, the study recommends a reworking of the resettlement programme to ensure that the human security, equity and social justice form the bedrock of the resettlement.