Paper short abstract:

Students who witness or undergo violent events often struggle to concentrate on their studies due to intrusive thoughts and flashbacks. This paper examines the impact of insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping in Zamfara State, Nigeria, on students' social-emotional well-being and academic performance.

Paper long abstract:

The insurgency movement in Zamfara State, Nigeria has had a profound impact on boarding school students, affecting their social-emotional and academic performances. Traumatic events of kidnapping in nearby schools, and ongoing threats of violence and instability across Zamfara, create an environment of fear and anxiety, leading to students’ difficulties concentrating and learning. Students who have seen or experienced adversarial, violent events are often plagued by intrusive thoughts and flashbacks, making it challenging for them to focus on their studies. Such trauma may lead students to develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as irritability or hypervigilance, which further impedes their abilities to concentrate. Many boarding schools in Zamfara do not have adequate resources or trained teachers and professionals to address the psychological needs of traumatized students. Lack of adequate mental health support exacerbates students’ situations. Drawing on anthropological studies of violence and trauma and how trauma affects learning, this paper investigates the effects of insurgency, banditry, and kidnapping movements in Zamfara on students’ social-emotional well-being and academic performances. The study analyzes the significant impact of insurgents’ criminal acts on boarding school students' health and well-being, resulting in a spiraling decrease in their academic performance. Finally, the study presents and analyzes the issues of insecurity that have caused detrimental effects on the state’s educational system.