‘If We Must Wait for Total Peace Before Thinking of Returning, We May Never Have a Place Called Home’: Support Mechanisms for Displaced Victims of Herder-Farmers Conflict in Benue State, Nigeria

Abstract

This research investigates the relationship between reintegration outcomes and support systems for displaced populations, with a focus on agricultural communities and returnees in Benue state, Nigeria. The study examines the impact of displacement experiences and return settings on reintegration, as well as the subjective evaluations of individuals regarding their support systems and its influence on successful reintegration. Snowball and purposeful sampling methods were employed to select 44 respondents from various IDP camps, and data was collected through group discussions, in-depth interviews, and key informant interviews. Thematic analysis using NVIVO12plus software was conducted. The findings reveal a complex relationship between reintegration decisions and experiences with displacement support and return settings. In Benue state, displaced victims have two primary support systems: government assistance in collaboration with NGOs, and assistance from private organizations and individuals.