Assessing the Sociopolitical Causes, Humanitarian Consequences, and Survival Strategies Associated with Violence-Induced Displacement in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study investigates the sociopolitical causes of violent conflict and the resulting humanitarian conditions of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in the Makurdi Abagena IDP camp, Benue State, Nigeria. The study is grounded in Structural Violence Theory and the Human Security Framework. The study was guided by four specific objectives: to examine the structural and sociopolitical factors driving the killings and displacement in Benue State; to assess the living conditions and multidimensional insecurities faced by IDPs in Makurdi camp; to explore the coping strategies adopted by displaced persons; and recommended policy and humanitarian responses for durable solutions. A qualitative-dominant mixed-methods design was adopted. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 60 respondents using in-depth interviews and focus group discussions. Findings reveal that the displacement crisis is rooted in unresolved land disputes, political marginalization, weak governance, and environmental pressures. Within the camp, IDPs face widespread food insecurity, inadequate shelter, gender-based violence, and psychosocial trauma. To survive, displaced persons rely on informal labour, NGO assistance, and sometimes risky coping strategies such as survival sex and early marriage. These outcomes reflect the insecurities described in the Human Security Framework and point to structural violence as the foundational driver of the crisis. The study concludes that humanitarian assistance alone is insufficient to break the cycle of displacement. It recommends an integrated response involving land tenure reform, community-based peacebuilding, psychosocial rehabilitation, and long-term resettlement planning. The research offers critical insights for policymakers, humanitarian actors, and scholars working on displacement and conflict in Nigeria.