The effects of crime and violence on food insecurity and consumption in Nigeria

Households living in conflict-affected areas are vulnerable to violence and crime perpetrated by various types of actors. By exploiting variation in the timing, intensity, and spatial distribution of attacks against households in Nigeria, this study finds that becoming a victim leads to higher food insecurity and decreased food and non-food consumption. Property crimes are more detrimental to consumption and food insecurity than violence is. The findings remain robust to accounting for conflict in the geographical proximity to the household. Our results indicate that information on victimization can be used for building safety nets in conflict-affected areas.