Why Some Communities Choose Active Immobility in Conflict Zones in Nigeria

The staying behaviour of collectives that choose to remain in areas affected by violent conflict has received little attention in migration research. Addressing this research opportunity, this paper examines why some communities in Nigeria’s Middle Belt choose to remain on their ancestral land despite recurring brutal armed attacks, high displacement risks, and absent state protection. Drawing on focus group discussions conducted in 2022 across communities in Nigeria, and underpinned by the Resilience–Accessibility framework, this paper employs reflexive thematic analysis to examine the factors shaping active immobility in conflict-affected settings. The findings suggest that active immobility in the study locations is shaped by two interrelated dimensions of life: the material, attachment to land and its physical, social, and economic resources, and the symbolic, their desire to preserve their lifescape while on their ancestral land. It extends debates on (im)mobility beyond Eurocentric and climate-focused perspectives by foregrounding collective experiences of immobility.