Published 2025-05-04
Abstract
Boko Haram insurgency has led to high rate of human casualties and
thousands of deaths. It has turned majority of women into widows and
children into orphans and increasing cases of rape and gender based violence
in the region. The vulnerability of the north east region is linked to high
prevalence of youth poverty and unemployment. This has made many youth to
become skeptical about Nigeria`s democratic system that has brought them
little benefit but more of hopelessness, frustrations, joblessness and poverty.
This has lured many youths to embrace the Boko Haram sect. The study also
established that there is socio-cultural nexus with the emergence of Boko
Haram insurgency in the North East. This implies that the polygamous
orientation of the people of the region has led to rapid increase in the number
of children which could not be adequately catered for by their biological
parents thereby encouraging the practice of Almajiri system of Islamic
education. The Almajiris live in a very appalling condition roaming and
begging for arms in major cities in Nigeria, homeless, without parents or
guardians. Denied of parental care, they form the majority of recruits for
religious extremists, desperate politicians and disreputable cleric teachers.
The study recommends that the ways to addressing political, ideological and
socio-cultural vulnerabilities of the region is to create more jobs and the
practice of good governance. As matter of policy, intensive Peace Education
should be vigorously pursued in the area at both formal and informal level.
Incorporating peace education in the curricula of Almajiri schools or
Tsangaya across the states in the zone should be encouraged and promoted by
the government through the relevant ministries, agencies and departments.