AN ASSESSMENT OF UNGOVERNED SPACES AND FOOD INSECURITY IN NIGER STATE, NIGERIA

Insecurity and governance breakdown remain critical development challenges in many parts of Nigeria, particularly in rural areas where state presence is weak or non-existent. This study therefore assessed the ungoverned spaces and food insecurity in Niger State, Nigeria. The study objectives includes to identify the defining characteristics of ungoverned spaces, examined governance and surveillance efforts in these areas, assessed the impact of insecurity on food production and access. Grounded in the Fragile State Theory and Human Security Theory, the research underscored the interrelation between weak state authority, human vulnerability, and systemic insecurity. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted using a triangulated methodological approach, which combined quantitative analysis of 389 structured questionnaires out of the sample size of 400 with key informant interviews. Statistical tests such as Spearman’s Rank Correlation and the Mann-Whitney U test were employed to test the hypotheses formulated for the study. Findings revealed that the absence of effective government presence and the dominance of non-state armed actors have created zones of insecurity where farming, trade, and movement are severely restricted. Surveillance and policing mechanisms, especially those driven by the state, were widely seen as inadequate, while community-based vigilance systems proved relatively more effective. Insecurity significantly hindered access to farmland and markets, exacerbating poverty and food shortages, with a large majority of households reducing meal frequency or relying on humanitarian aid. Coping strategies, though prevalent, were largely unsustainable. The study concluded that food insecurity in ungoverned areas is multidimensional, deeply rooted in structural governance failures. It therefore recommended among others that strengthening community security systems, restoring access to agricultural livelihoods, integrating traditional institutions into governance structures, and adopting a people-centred, multi-sectoral approach to security and development planning to address the root causes of insecurity and restoring state legitimacy in vulnerable communities.