Autochthony and space in communal war: Citizenship, conflicts, and infrastructure provision in Jos, Central Nigeria

Abstract

Abstract Since the 1990s, there has been an upsurge in conflicts of autochthony in several parts of the world. Autochthony invokes a sense of a politics of belonging and an attachment to the land. In Nigeria, the phenomenon raises questions of citizenship and can reinforce exclusionary practices which in turn provoke widespread violence between different Nigerian populations. Infrastructure provision in a communal conflict environment is a critical element of autochthony struggle, which has yet to be fully explored. Relying on archival sources, focus group discussions, interviews and observation, this article interrogates how the interactions between autochthony and space stimulates communal conflicts and affect infrastructure provision in Jos, Nigeria. The article focuses on how the ‘Black September’ incident in 2001 and its aftermath in Jos has defined citizenship. It argues that the politics of belonging is embedded in infrastructure provision, and understanding this relationship is crucial to understanding and addressing the conflicts in Jos and beyond.