SEPARATIST MOVEMENT AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH-EAST NIGERIA: EVIDENCE FROM BORNO, YOBE AND ADAMAWA STATES (2009 – 2024)

Research Problem: Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States in the Northeast, Nigeria have been marred by protracted conflicts and separatist aspirations, primarily driven by Boko Haram (BH). This movement has not only posed severe security challenges but has also significantly hindered the region's progress in terms of socio-economic development. Method/Theory: This study was anchored on the Relative Deprivation theory and the Failed State Theory. A survey research design was adopted to stimulate the needed information directly from the target respondents. The population comprises stakeholders in the selected states, including members of the local communities, government and private sector employees, members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), government agency representatives, and members of separatist groups. Based on the Krejcie and Morgan formula, a sample size of 384 stakeholders was used. Data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The study findings reveal that the insurgency of BH has a significant impact on the agricultural activities (R = 0.675; p< 0.00). Likewise, the activities of the BH insurgency have a significant effect on Human capital development (HCD) (R = 0.543; p< 0.001). Conclusion: It was affirmed that addressing the challenges posed by separatist movements requires more than militarised interventions. It was observed that beyond the immediate destruction of infrastructure, the protracted conflict has disrupted agricultural output and education. Key Contributions and Recommendations: The study contributed to the knowledge and therefore recommends that various security operations should be complemented with agricultural recovery programmes, secure educational facilities to address both the symptoms and root causes of instability in these states.