Deradicalization and Social Integration of Defected Boko Haram Militants In Nigeria: A Review of The Yellow Ribbon Initiative

In a bid to curb the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria, the government, in 2015, set up amnesty programs for low-risk Boko Haram defectors. Since then, thousands of Boko Haram members have defected. However, effective social integration of these defected members remains a challenge in the North-East region of Nigeria. The deradicalization and social integration program is in three main program streams – the prison program; the Operation Safe Corridor (OSC) and the Yellow Ribbon Initiative (YRI). The prison program is targeted at convicted Boko Haram members, while the OSC is targeted at low-risk Boko Haram members. The YRI, which is the focus of this presentation, is targeted at women and childrenassociated with Boko Haram. It has been asserted that the YRI has reintegrated thousands of women and children, but the veracity of this claim remains a challenge due to the lack of transparency and accountability of the program. This presentation investigates the level of involvement of the children claimed to have been reintegrated into the society under the YRI. The presentation further investigates the reception of these children into the society, as well as the extent to which their rights are protected. Using a socio-legal method, the legal and institutional frameworks of the YRI were examined. The effectiveness of the YRI was measured by interviewing relevant government, NGOs, INGOs and other stakeholders involved in the YRI program. The presentation will make recommendations based on the findings of this research.