Migration Policy and the Reintegration of Internally Displaced Persons in Borno State, North East Nigeria

This study examines migration policy responses and the reintegration challenges faced by internally displaced persons in Borno State, North East Nigeria. Over a decade of insurgency by Boko Haram and its affiliates has produced one of the largest internal displacement crises in Africa, with millions of Nigerians uprooted from their communities in the Lake Chad Basin region. Drawing on forced migration theory and recent humanitarian policy literature from 2019 to 2024, the study adopts a descriptive survey design. A sample of 260 internally displaced persons, reintegration programme managers, and local government officials is selected using purposive sampling from three designated camps and host communities in Borno State. Structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews are used for data collection, and findings are presented through descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The study expects to reveal that security concerns, livelihood deficits, destroyed infrastructure, and psychosocial trauma impede sustainable reintegration. It also examines the roles of the National Emergency Management Agency, the International Organisation for Migration, and local non-governmental organisations in coordinating return programmes. Recommendations will address the need for integrated, multi-sectoral reintegration strategies that combine security, economic recovery, and community reconciliation for displaced populations in North East Nigeria. Keywords: internally displaced persons, reintegration, migration policy, Borno State, North East Nigeria