Professional Assessment of Social Reintegration Challenges for Former Boko Haram Combatants in Northeastern Nigeria

The social reintegration of former Boko Haram combatants represents one of the most complex post-conflict social challenges in Nigeria's North East, requiring interventions that address security risks, community acceptance barriers, economic needs, and psychological trauma simultaneously. This study professionally assesses the social reintegration challenges facing former combatants undergoing deradicalization and rehabilitation through the Operation Safe Corridor programme in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States. A professional evaluation design combining document review of Safe Corridor programme records and outcome data, structured interviews with twenty-eight programme staff and security oversight personnel, and focus group discussions with thirty-two programme graduates was employed. The Disengagement and Deradicalization framework provided the evaluative reference. Findings indicate that psychological trauma processing was the most underdeveloped programme component, with clinical psychological services available to only 22% of enrolled former combatants. Community acceptance rates for returning combatants were significantly lower in directly conflict-affected communities compared to host communities with no conflict history, with 67% of directly affected community members in visited communities expressing opposition to reintegration. Economic integration through vocational training showed the most measurable success, with 58% of programme graduates securing income-generating activity within twelve months of graduation. Reintegration of female former combatants and children associated with armed groups was addressed by separate provisions assessed as substantially less resourced than male combatant programmes. Recommendations include expanded psychological services, formal community dialogue processes in receiving communities, and dedicated female combatant reintegration protocols. Keywords: reintegration, former combatants, Boko Haram, deradicalization, North East Nigeria.