The Contributions of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to the Rehabilitation of The Victims of Boko Haram Insurgency in Nigeria

The current security crises in Nigeria, orchestrated by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North Eastern part of the country has posed monumental threats to both the internal and international security due to the spiraling effects it has had on the neighboring countries like Niger, Chad and Cameroon to which most victims flee for refuge. The insurgency which started in 2009, had led to the destruction and destabilization of many parts of the North-Eastern zone of Nigeria. Several lives have been lost, many people kidnapped, critical infrastructures destroyed and the economy of the region further bastardized. While over two million people have forcefully fled into nearby urban areas, few others are in formal humanitarian camps while majority of the victims mostly women and children are struggling to access basic needs such as shelter, food, health, education and clothing. The general objective of the study is to examine whether or not NGOs have contributed to the rehabilitation of the victims of Boko Haram insurgency in North Eastern Nigeria and to see whether they can contribute more meaningfully to the rehabilitation of the victims of the Insurgency in that part of the country or elsewhere, by so doing, bringing about improvement to the lives of the victims. The study employs two theories or models. The first one is the “donor-driven model†which holds that Non-Governmental Organisations carry out their developmental activities with directives and strings attached from the donor countries. The second theory is the “third sector model†which is believed to be people-centered, flexible, and uses participatory management style in development-oriented NGO programs. The “third sector model†says that NGOs are important in making up for the institutional weaknesses of the state and market through promoting socio-economic development (independent and dependent variables). By way of scholarly exegesis and empirical evidences which have been predicated on both primary and secondary sources, this research discovers that in addition to efforts of relevant governments at rehabilitating the victims of the Boko Haram insurgency in the North Eastern part of Nigeria, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have also been actively engaged in providing critical humanitarian assistance to the victims of Boko Haram Insurgency in North Eastern Nigeria. The author praises this effort and recommends the need to further encourage and strengthen the NGOs to make them more vibrant and relevant in promoting peace as well as social and economic prosperity in the country.