Boko Haram's Insurgency in Nigeria: Exploring the Justice, Peace and Reconciliation Pathways

Abstract

INTRODUCTION The government of Nigeria is currently battling Boko Haram, a militant Islamic group accused of committing several human rights abuses against civilians. Literally translated, Boko Haram means ‘Western education or influence is sinful and forbidden.’ However the group who prefers to call itself ‘ Jama';atu Ahlus-SunnahLidda';Awati Wal Jihad’, whichmeans ‘People Committed to the Propagation of the Prophet's Teachings and Jihad’ has recently changed its name to Islamic State's West Africa Province (Iswap). The name change came about upon the group's pledge of allegiance to the dreaded Islamic State (IS) and establishes an international dimension to the insurgency. The insurgency in the last six years has claimed a conservative estimate of over 13,000 victims, inclusive of people killed bothby Boko Haram and the Nigerian security forces. This is based on the allegations of serious human rights violations and extra judicial killings levelled against the Nigerian security forces in their bid to curtail the insurgency. Boko Haram's modus operandi includes bombing civilian and military targets; kidnappings; arsons; lootings; murders; sex slavery; causing grievous bodily harm to civilians, taking territory, etc. The conflict is exacting a huge toll on the civilian population. The number of property and lives lost, internally displaced persons and refugees have changed the face of NorthEast Nigeria. This is leading many to call for accountability. Victims and survivors of crimes want justice. Several of them are demanding that the perpetrators be punished while others want peace and reconciliation. There is no easy way to define the relationship between justice and reconciliation. While some see the two as diametrically opposed to eachother, others insist that they bothhave to work together to move a nation forward. The case of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in Uganda is a good example where justice, peace and reconciliation became controversial. In the face of the consistent terror the people of Northern Uganda face from the LRA, they pressurised the government of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to enact an Amnesty Law granting the LRA members immunity from prosecution. Spurred by the threat that the Niger Delta militants posed to the economic mainstay of the country's oil, the government of late President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua granted the Niger Delta militants amnesty througha money for weapon and rehabilitation programme to end the insurgency.