Date of Conferral

8-19-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

Victoria Landu-Adams

Abstract

Nigeria continues to face significant challenges from extremist groups such as Boko Haram, unidentified militia groups, and bandits. The radicalization of youths has played a central role in the country's ongoing violent extremism and general insecurity. Efforts to curb youth radicalization remain largely unsuccessful and pose a major challenge in the country. The existing literature on curbing youth violent extremism focuses on the use of force, while other scholars argue for a complex interplay among economic, social, political, and environmental factors. They also considered that high illiteracy, lack of religious understanding, poverty, unemployment, psychological factors, and unstable family environments contribute to susceptibility. The gap in existing literature is the absence of the perpetrators' perspectives. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to investigate the role of anti-terrorism and deradicalization policies in curbing youth involvement in violent extremism in Nigeria, focusing on understanding the perceptions of former violent youth extremists aged 18 to 25 on the facilitators of violent extremism and the barriers to effectively implementing anti-terrorism policies through the lens of the policy feedback theory. The themes that emerged centered on socioeconomic and educational deprivation, misapplication of religion, and the general neglect of youths. The findings show radicalization in Nigeria is not a product of a single cause, but rather an intersection of economic deprivation, social influence, ideological manipulation, and governance failure. The results have the potential to impact positive social change by informing policy that has the potential to rescue people, save lives, and protect property.

Download

Included in

Public Policy Commons

Share

 
COinS