Interrogating the character of violent extremism in North East Nigeria: An exploration of NEEM Dataset on vulnerabilities to violent extremism
NEEM foundation is a non-governmental organisation that is committed to improving the lives of those affected by the North-East insurgency in Nigeria through building inclusive communities and raising the standards of psycho-social care and countering violent extremist narratives.
In 2019, the African Leadership Centre and the NEEM Foundation, Nigeria agreed to collaborate on joint analysis and management of complex data which will include data drawn largely from data gathered by NEEM Foundation in Northeast Nigeria.
ALC Datalab analysed new survey data from the NEEM Foundation for 2019 on the factors that influence participation in violent extremism in Borno State, Nigeria. This dataset was produced from a 2019 survey of 4934 respondents using the Foundation’s Counselling on Wheels Survey instrument and their Vulnerability to Violent Extremism Assessment (VVES) Scale. The respondents are from communities experiencing the impacts of violent extremism in Borno State, Northeastern Nigeria. They include: Dubai, Moramti, Mairi, Kaleri, Old Maiduguri, Dala, Gwenge I, Gwenge IV, Umarari and Wulari in Borno State. This offers researchers an opportunity to critically examine longstanding theoretical assumptions about the causes of violent conflict in the context of Nigeria.
The following are some of the thematic themes emerging from analysis of the survey data.
- Theme 1: Violent extremism and poverty as critical factor
- Theme 2: Violent extremism and unemployment, underemployment and employment
- Theme 3: Voice, agency and violent extremism and agency
- Theme 4: Gendered narratives on participatiViolent extremism and justice on in violent extremism
- Theme 5: Violent extremism and justice
- Theme 6: Groups, belonging and violent extremism
- Theme 7: Violent extremism and state security actors
- Theme 8: Western education and violent extremism
- Theme 9: Violent extremism and small arms