PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ARMED CONFLICTS: THE TIV/FULANI EXPERIENCE IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Nigeria which has a population of about 140 million and 250 ethnic groups, making it Africa’s most populous nation with a multitude of religious, ethnic and political fault lines has  experienced and still experiencing series of armed conflicts. The resulting rise in armed in recent times can be attributed to various factors, including: ethnic rivalry, religious violence, land conflicts, conflicts related to the demarcation of administrative boundaries and political elections, and conflicts linked to oil production in the Niger Delta. This study examined the psychological implications of armed conflict with a particular focus on a sample of 335 drawn from internally displaced persons of the Tiv/Fulani armed conflict in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State-Nigeria. The ages of respondents ranged from 17-68 years. The Sample was made up of 173 males and 162 females. The mental health of the respondents was assessed using General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist (PCL-C). Analysis of data was carried out using simple percentages and the results show that out of the 335 respondents, 155(46.3%) did not suffer from any form of mental ill health while 180(53.7%) suffer from various mental disorders. The break-down of results indicate that 23.6% suffer post-traumatic stress disorder, 15.8% were down with depression and 9.3% reported symptoms of Acute Anxiety Disorder. Also 5.1% of the victims suffered co-morbid condition of PTSD and depression. The results further revealed that the psychological consequences of armed conflict were felt more by females (56.1%) than males (43.9%). It was therefore recommended that health services offered to refugees of cultural conflict should include both chemotherapy and psychotherapy in order to keep the flesh and the soul together and avert increasing incidence of mental disorders.