Description
The Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), a community-based group, is a significant force in the war against Boko Haram. Established in 2013, the CJTF was formed to support military efforts in protecting local communities from Boko Haram attacks. Their deep knowledge of the local terrain, language and intelligence-gathering skills have played a key role in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency efforts.
The contribution of women to counterinsurgency operations cannot be overstated. However, within the CJTF, women's roles are often confined to the ‘female domain,’ such as offering psychosocial support to women and girls who have survived Boko Haram abduction. These survivors, often victims of severe gender-based violence, including sexual abuse, frequently return to their communities pregnant or with children born of these violent encounters, facing deep social stigma.
The Bulumkutu Interim Care Centre (BICC), a state-run transit facility, is responsible for providing care to children and women impacted by Boko Haram. Its purpose is to “rehabilitate” them, with one of its mandates being to offer psychological support. However, a report by Amnesty International revealed that they did not receive any psychosocial assistance at the centre. Female members of the CJTF, in interviews I conducted with them, confirmed that they took on the role of providing this critical support to the women and their children, compensating for the formal institutions' failure to address these needs.
Beyond merely offering support, women within the CJTF often integrate indigenous processes rooted in local customs and cultural practices to help survivors. These processes, grounded in traditional healing, allow for more community-accepted forms of psychosocial support. This approach aids in the emotional recovery of these survivors and fosters community-wide healing and resilience.
Therefore, this paper aims to illustrate how psychosocial support, enriched by indigenous methods, is delivered to these women and how this, in turn, contributes to peacebuilding efforts.
