The Civilian Joint Task Force and the Struggle against Insurgency in Borno State, Nigeria

This paper specifically focuses on the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) in Borno State, which is a hotbed of the Boko Haram insurgency. It examines the evolution of CJTF as a local initiative response to security challenges, which can be an effective way to defeat the insurgency. On many occasions, CJTF has been useful in spotting Boko Haram insurgents, repelling attacks, and liberating towns and villages captured by Boko Haram. In addition, this group has been a vital link in the intelligence gathering network necessary for successful Special Military Joint Task Force (SMJTF) operations. The purpose of this paper is to critically analyze the contribution of CJTF in counter-insurgency operations in Borno state and investigate whether CJTF could be a useful approach to counter-insurgency in Nigeria.