BOKO HARAM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: PERSPECTIVES FROM PEACEBUILDERS

The document presents findings from a study of 50 peacebuilders in northern Nigeria, identifying religious and political factors as the primary drivers of Boko Haram recruitment. It argues that while military action is seen as having little impact on recruitment, a sustainable solution requires a combination of hard security and soft measures, including negotiation, amnesty, and national reconciliation.

• Peacebuilders identify religious factors as the most significant driver for individuals joining Boko Haram, with 82% of respondents ranking it as the top reason. They believe recruits are often manipulated into thinking the group represents 'true and pure Islam' due to a lack of knowledge regarding actual Islamic principles.
• Political and economic factors are also significant drivers; 44% of peacebuilders cited political reasons, often linked to bad governance and corruption, while 26% highlighted poverty and the need for money.
• Recruitment primarily occurs through online social media and personal networks, specifically neighbours and friends. The study notes that Boko Haram also uses sermons in local communities to obtain recruits.
• Peacebuilders generally believe that military action has not deterred people from joining Boko Haram, with 46% stating it has no influence and 42% stating it has little influence. This is attributed to the group being an 'anonymous and invisible target'.
• While some peacebuilders support military force (30% as a first choice), the majority (70%) believe a sustainable solution requires non-military measures. The most acceptable non-military options are negotiation (26%), national reconciliation and interfaith dialogue (32%), and amnesty (28%).
• Peacebuilders can contribute to resolving the crisis through education on religious tolerance, research into root causes of conflict, providing mentorship to vulnerable youth, and managing grassroots diplomacy and mediation.

APA

Salifu, U., & Ewi, M. (2017). BOKO HARAM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: PERSPECTIVES FROM PEACEBUILDERS. Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief97.pdf

Chicago

Salifu, Uyo, and Martin Ewi. BOKO HARAM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: PERSPECTIVES FROM PEACEBUILDERS. Institute for Security Studies, 2017. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief97.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Salifu |first1=Uyo |last2=Ewi |first2=Martin |title=BOKO HARAM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: PERSPECTIVES FROM PEACEBUILDERS |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |date=February 2017 |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief97.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{salifu2017boko, author = {Salifu, Uyo and Ewi, Martin}, title = {{BOKO HARAM AND VIOLENT EXTREMISM: PERSPECTIVES FROM PEACEBUILDERS}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, year = {2017}, month = feb, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/policybrief97.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }