Description
Terrorism is an issue of global concern. In line with the UN Secretary-General’s report ‘Our Common Agenda’, which looks at global challenges, one of the major proposals was the need to promote peace and prevent conflict. Of utmost significance in achieving this aim is the reintegration of former Boko Haram terrorist and their families, which appears challenging due to the neglect of the communities in the reintegration process, the trauma suffered and human rights abuses. Despite the important role of communities, to date, there appears to be no randomised control trial that has investigated the use of Legal Education plus Trauma-informed Therapy (LETIT) in aiding community acceptance of former terrorists in Nigeria. Our study makes an original methodological contribution which aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of LETIT in fostering reintegration in Nigeria. 150 participants were recruited from Bornu (Maiduguri n=50), Adamawa (Yola n=50) and Plateau (Jos n=50). The participants were randomised to the LETIT intervention or the Media intervention. Outcomes were accessed using Trauma Screening Questionnaire (TSQ), Attitude towards repentant terrorists (ATRT), and Legal Awareness scale. The study found very good retention rates, with participants’ satisfaction higher in the LETIT group compared to the control group. We also found that the LETIT intervention appears effective in improving community acceptance of ex-offenders’ reintegration into society and, by extension, relevant for reducing reoffending.
