Civilian Joint Task Force and Nigeria’s Counter-Terrorism Operation: A Critique of the Community-Based Approach to Insecurity

ABSTRACT Non-state armed groups (NSAGs) are a prominent phenomenon in the discourse on security in Africa. They serve as either anti-state agents orchestrating violence or fill security void by complementing state security. This paper analyzes the activities of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) as a variant of non-state armed groups within the context of community-based counterterrorism initiative in Borno State, Nigeria. Data were collected through interviews and focus group discussion in selected communities affected by Boko Haram. The findings revealed that the use of the CJTF yielded positive results as they helped the military in intelligence gathering, knowledge of the landscape, translation of the local language, and identification of Boko Haram members within the community and in combat operations. Challenges, such as the highhandedness and deceitful nature of some members, hampered the utility of the CJTF. The paper concludes that the CJTF as a community-based response to security underscores citizens as active agents, not mere passive victims in the fight against terrorism.