Examining the Effects of Boko Haram Activities on the Livelihood of the Communities Within and Around Sambisa Forest of Nigeria

Abstract

This study examines the effects of the activities of Boko Haram on the livelihood of the communities within the Sambisa Forest of Nigeria. Both qualitative and quantitative research designs were adopted for this study. Primary and secondary data were employed in this study. The primary data includes data on the livelihood (economic, food, health, education, employment, water, sanitation among others) of the communities, and they were sourced with the aid of questionnaire.  Secondary data include data on the population of the study area and other documented information on Sambisa Forest. This research made use of the multistage sampling techniques, involving three stages. Four hundred copies of questionnaires were administered to the Local Government Areas. The hypothesis that Boko Haram activities have no significant effects on the livelihood of the communities within the Sambisa Forest was tested, using the General Linear Model (multivariate analysis). The livelihood indices analysed include agricultural productivity before and during the emergence of Boko Haram, how often they go to farms and markets, sources of energy generation in the communities, job opportunities, their food intake, education as well as their income generation. Majority of the respondents (362 respondents representing 90.5%) noted that before the emergence of Boko Haram, agricultural productivity was very high. Furthermore, before the emergence of Boko Haram, there was enough job opportunities as noted by 313 respondents amounting to 78.3% of the total population sampled. The hypothesis that Boko Haram activities have no significant effects on the livelihood of the communities within the Sambisa Forest was tested using multivariate analysis and the result shows that truly, Boko Haram activities have serious effects on the livelihood of those communities (F = 1.898, p < 0.05).