Restoration of power supply to post-conflict communities in Northern Nigeria: Implication for sustainable Reintegration of Returning Migrants

Abstract

North-East Nigeria is currently emerging from brutal insurgent attacks that lasted for almost a decade since 2009 and has thereby plunged the region deeper into poverty and economic chaos, making it the poorest region in Nigeria. As thousands of displaced people prepare to move back to their rural communities, a large proportion of the predominantly farm-based rural populations are going to grow food crops and live in built-houses for the first time in a decade. The questions that come to mind, among several others are; what is the situation of the villages especially in the area of social infrastructures, particularly electricity? Can restoration of power and building of skill acquisition centre guarantee their sustainable reintegration? Drawing upon several past studies undertaken in post-conflict communities in many other countries, this paper provides empirically-based responses to these questions. Responses from returning migrants which serve as results of the findings in this study show that sustainable reintegration and meaningful rural development cannot be achieved unless power (electricity) is restored to the post-conflict communities where the forced migrants are set to return. This is because it will serve as a catalyst to social and economic development in the post-conflict agrarian communities.