The Psychological Trauma on Boko Haram Victims in Nigeria: Conflict Resolution Perspective

Abstract

The Nigerian State before 1999 was ruled by the military for a very long period of time ranging from 1966-1979, and 1983-1999 they have stayed in power and control of Nigerian leadership. Within the said periods, the country was mostly led by the Northern leadership especially from 1983-1999 where leaders such as Buhari 1983-1985, Babangida 1985-1993, Abacha 1993-1998 and Abubakar 1998-1999 were all from the North. On the 29th of May, 1999 ushered in the return to democratic rule and power was shifted to the Southern part of the country under the leadership of Obasanjo 1999-2007. There was in place the principle of zoning and rotation of power between the North and South so as to promote the principle of peace, fairness, equity and justice as it was enshrined within the constitution of the ruling party, the PDP. May 29th, 2007 brought in another power shift from the South to the North through the leadership of Yar’Adua, who later died in office on the 5th of May, 2010. Thus, the Vice-President took over power and it returned to the South, he contested in 2011 elections, was opposed by some quarters from the North where violence broke out and the Boko Haram became a tool as posits by late Gen. Andrew Azazi. The objective of the paper is to seek redress on how the conflict can be resolved and to bring to the fore the psychological trauma that the victims have undergone. The paper recommends that the root causes of the conflict should be re-addressed and resolved.

DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6s4p519