This brief explores how former Boko Haram associates in North East Nigeria and the communities they return to experience acceptance during reintegration. A recent survey conducted with 2,117 community members and 852 former Boko Haram associates shows that generally, community acceptance to former Boko Haram associates is high and reintegration in North East Nigeria is well underway. However, specific challenges persist, especially for women and girls, and community acceptance can shift as conflict dynamics evolve. This highlights the need for continued research on community attitudes over time as well as for tailored reintegration support, for which the brief offers several recommendations.
Citation: Kato Van Broeckhoven, Francesca Batault, Mohammed Bukar, and Fatima Yetcha Ajimi Badu, “Building Bridges: Community Acceptance of Former Boko Haram Associates in the North East of Nigeria”, UNIDIR, Geneva, 2025.