Social Identity Theory and Deradicalization: A Critical Evaluation of the Role Identities Play in the Reintegration of Ex-combatants in Nigeria’s OPSC
Authors: OSAH Goodnews
Journal: Covenant University Journal of Politics and International Affairs
ISSN Number: 2354-355
0
Downloads
51
Views
Abstract
This paper employs Social Identity Theory (SIT) as a critical lens to evaluate the deradicalization and reintegration processes within Nigeria’s Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC). It argues that while the initial disengagement of ex-Boko Haram combatants may occur within the program's camps, sustainable reintegration is fundamentally a social process of identity transformation, contingent on complex negotiations among the individual, the state, and the receiving community. Through qualitative analysis of interviews and focus group discussions with ex-combatants, security personnel, government officials, and community members, the study identifies a critical disconnect between OPSC’s design and the realities of identity reconstruction. Key findings reveal that the program’s operational failures, specifically, post-camp economic abandonment, a lack of transparency, and the absence of formal reconciliation mechanisms actively sabotage reintegration. These failures foster a toxic environment of stigma and mistrust, reinforce perceptions of impunity, and exacerbate community grievances. The study concludes that by neglecting the social and psychological dimensions of identity, OPSC not only undermines its own objectives but also risks perpetuating the very cycles of insecurity it aims to resolve. The paper advocates a fundamental reorientation of deradicalization policy toward a holistic, identity-sensitive framework that prioritizes long-term, community-based reintegration over short-term disengagement.
