Boko-Haram Insurgency and Rural Livelihood Dilemma: Implication for Sustainable Development in North-East Nigeria

Abstract

The Boko-Haram insurgency has affected livelihoods in the Northeast in all ramifications. This study reviewed scholarly submissions on the drivers and impact of the insurgency in the area. The outcome of the review showed that the insurgency is driven mainly by poverty, religious extremism, and politics. Equally, the insurgency has affected rural livelihoods entirely and has exacerbated food insecurity, unemployment, and poverty. This is because critical infrastructure like schools, hospitals, markets, and electricity/telecommunication facilities have been largely destroyed, and residents of some communities are still displaced. Hence, to better the livelihood of the people in communities where normalcy has been restored, there is the need to promote agriculture and trade by securing the communities and enhancing access to affordable agricultural inputs.