Participation of civilian joint task force in combating boko haram in Yobe State, Nigeria

Since 2009, counterinsurgency approaches of the Nigerian government for combating Boko Haram insurgent group are ineffective. Therefore, the insurgent group continued to cause severe security challenge to the country. The insurgent has killed nearly 30,000 people and over two million people displaced as internally displaced persons and refugees. Even though the government measures are ineffective, the participation of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) substantially reduced the violence both in terms of attack frequencies and fatalities rate in communities. This study therefore analysed the participation of the CJTF in combating Boko Haram in Yobe State Nigeria. The study was carried out based on four objectives. The first objective determined the strategy used by the CJTF in combating the Boko Haram. The second objective examined the motivations that triggered the participation of people in the CJTF. The third objective identified the challenges of the CJTF, whereas the fourth objective determined the factors that interested the Yobe state government to incorporate the CJTF as a local security agent. The study was conducted on a qualitative method, and the design was a case study. The empirical data were collected through the techniques of interview and non-participant observation. The interviews were conducted with thirteen informants from three groups comprising members of the CJTF, community/traditional leaders, and government officials in the study area. The finding showed that the CJTF uses three strategies in combating Boko Haram comprising informational, target-hardening, and conventional strategies. The study also found that the interest of defending the community, inadequate protection by the state, and repressive state actions are the motivations triggering the participation of people in the CJTF. The finding also showed that operational, motivational and organizational issues are the challenges hindering the combating activities of the group. Concerning the incorporation of the CJTF, the finding showed that the willingness of regulating the CJTF, fostering post-insurgency stability, and tackling the challenges of regular securities are the main interests of the government. The study recommends an urgent need for the Nigerian government to re-strategize its counterinsurgency operation to focus on the population-centric approach. Moreover, to ensure long-time stability, the government should adopt adequate measures of addressing socioeconomic issues of poverty, unemployment, and illiteracy that are providing the fertile ground for the escalation of the insurgency in the country.

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