Investigating The Takeover Of Gowon'S Plateau Village By Terrorists: The Challenge Of Survival Struggle Of Poor Citizens In Their Ancestral Land
Ass. Professor Orie, Sylvester Okorie, PhD, MSc, MPA, MBA, PGD, BSc, CNA, FCNA, FNIM, FCAI.
Department of Public Administration & Policy Studies, Tansian University Umunya, Anambra State, Nigeria.
Keywords: Governance, Institutions, Marginalization, Stability, Coordination, Resilience.
Abstract
This study examines the persistent problem of insecurity, banditry, and forced displacement in Gowan Village within the conflict-prone environment of Plateau State, Nigeria. The research was undertaken against the backdrop of increasing violent attacks, destruction of livelihoods, and the growing humanitarian crisis confronting rural communities. The principal objective of the study was to critically investigate the underlying drivers of insecurity and banditry in Gowan Village and to assess their implications for population displacement, community stability, and local socio-economic development, while proposing sustainable strategies for conflict mitigation and community security restoration. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design complemented by analytical and observational approaches. Data were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were generated through structured questionnaires, key informant interviews, and field observation reports involving community leaders, youth representatives, local security personnel, displaced persons, and residents of Gowan Village and surrounding settlements. Secondary data were derived from scholarly publications, government security reports, humanitarian agency records, media documentation, and relevant policy documents. The sample size for the study was scientifically determined using the Yaro Yamane (1967) mathematical sampling technique, while data analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and inferential analytical tools supported by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The theoretical foundation of the study was anchored on Conflict Theory, Human Security Theory, and the Frustration–Aggression Theory, which collectively provided analytical insight into the socio-economic frustrations, governance gaps, and security failures that precipitate violent conflicts and displacement in rural communities. Strategically, the study employed stakeholder perception analysis, community security assessment, comparative situational analysis, and policy evaluation techniques. Findings revealed three major realities: weak rural security architecture and delayed response mechanisms enable the proliferation of banditry attacks; competition over land resources, ethno-communal mistrust, and youth unemployment intensify violent confrontations and displacement; and coordinated community-based intelligence networks alongside traditional conflict-resolution mechanisms significantly enhance early conflict prevention. The study recommends the strengthening of rural security patrol systems, youth economic empowerment initiatives, and institutional collaboration between traditional authorities and state security agencies. The study therefore affirms that sustainable peace in Gowan Village requires an integrated security governance framework anchored on inclusive socio-economic development, effective institutional coordination, and proactive community-driven peacebuilding mechanisms capable of addressing both the immediate and structural causes of insecurity and displacement.