Paper short abstract:

This paper focuses on youth who reject violence in northeast Nigeria, examining their reasons, what supports and challenges them and the contrast with drivers of recruitment into Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lida’awati wal Jihad (JAS), commonly known as Boko Haram, and other violent groups.

Paper long abstract:

Nigeria has been experiencing rising and more persistent levels of violence in recent years, with the conflict in its northeast between the state and Jama'atu Ahlis Sunnah Lida'awati wal Jihad (JAS), commonly known as Boko Haram, continuing to make national and international headlines. A persistent narrative has emerged among politicians, analysts, media outlets and communities themselves, that youth (seen primarily as young men), especially those who are not in regular paid employment are ticking time bombs ready to explode. Not only does this narrative serve to stereotype unemployed young men, increase the stigma they face and ignore the ways young women express their frustration and marginalisation but it also occludes the realities of many young people who choose not to be violent but rather are engaged in peace building activities.

This paper will first give an overview of the context and review the evidence of why young people join JAS and other violent groups in Nigeria, highlighting the roles of gender inequality and masculinity based on research conducted in 2015. It will then present analysis of interviews with young people who chose not to join violent groups and instead have been involved in working for peace. Based primarily on research conducted in 2016 and 2017 in Borno state, the epicentre of the JAS related conflict, the paper will tell their stories, showcase their work, examine the reasons for their decisions and explore the factors that support and challenge young people along these paths.