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Resistance to Boko Haram: Civilian Joint Task Forces in North-Eastern Nigeria
| Content Provider | Semantic Scholar |
|---|---|
| Author | Agbiboa, Daniel Egiegba |
| Copyright Year | 2015 |
| Abstract | The vast bulk of youth studies on Africa are skewed towards the view of youth as enfants terribles and 'coming anarchy,' with little or no attempt to understand and explain ways in which youth have created and continue to create alternative lives for themselves under conditions of great adversity. Such popular narratives - while rooted in ideas of youth idleness, ennui and engagement in crime - are mute on the considerable social agency and potential shown by Africa's youth, as well as their legitimate grievances against alienating and corrupt governments that have dashed their promise of maturity. Drawing on a case study from northern, especially northeastern, Nigeria, my overriding aim in this article is to show how a cohort of youth - the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) or yan gora ('men with sticks') - from this impoverished region are coping with the violent campaign of Boko Haram and 'government haram,' especially in ways that both underscore their social agency and their capacity to make a difference in their local communities. A key argument emerging from the analysis suggests that youth are not simply victims or perpetrators of terror, but also active agents of counter-terrorism in their local communities. In making this case, the article draws on a range of sources, including press materials, formal and informal interactions with affected Nigerians, and cumulative observation of unfolding events in northeastern Nigeria. |
| File Format | PDF HTM / HTML |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.csq.ro/wp-content/uploads/1-Daniel-AGBIBOA.pdf |
| Alternate Webpage(s) | http://www.csq.ro/wp-content/uploads/CSQ-SI-2015.pdf |
| Language | English |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
