CONFLICT AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: AN ANALYSIS OF MBIAKONG COMMUNITY IN AKWA IBOM STATE

This study was to examine Conflict and Community Development in UruanLocal Government Area, Akwa Ibom State. Systematic Random Samplingand snowball technique procedures were used to select 196 respondents of30 years and above in Mbiakong village in Uruan Local Government Area.Physical interviews and observation approaches were used in datacollection for this study. The data collected were analysed qualitatively indescriptive way. Majority of the respondents (n = 142/72.4%), reported thatyouths in the specific area of study were fun of taking arms instead ofdialogue to resolve issues and this has always led to communal conflicts.Human Needs Theory (HNT) was employed by the researcher in the study. Itwas discovered by the researcher that the recent Mbiakong conflict whichwas the major study of this research work revealed that Uruan people lost alot of resources during conflicts and these hamper community development.The state government through Honourable Aniekan Bassey has beeninvolved in peace and conflicts resolution in Uruan Local Government Area.It was concluded that the presence of the Nigerian Army in Uruan LocalGovernment Area will help in maintaining peace in Uruan LocalGovernment Area. The researcher recommended that the people of the studyarea in Uruan Local Government Area should see how to use dialogueinstead of arms in resolving conflicting issues among themselves.