Since 2009, Boko Haram have unleashed atrocities which have affected millions of people in Nigeria and the region as a whole. The results of a field-based study on peace builders’ perspectives of the drivers of violent extremism; and the underlying socio-economic and political factors that influence individuals to join Boko Haram is presented in this policy brief. The study reveals that peace builders consider religious dynamics as the most influential factor in an individuals’ decision to join the terrorist group. As such, the study reveals that peace builders’ views regarding the drivers of violent extremism are often markedly different to those expressed by former Boko Haram members themselves.
