“A leopard cannot change its spot”
A randomized controlled trial of a media intervention to aid public receptiveness toward reintegration in Nigeria
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17804447 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tarela Juliet Ike (0000-0003-0516-0313, University of Manchester, corresponding author), Dung Ezekiel Jidong (0000-0001-5034-0335, Manchester University), D Jidong (Manchester University), Evangelyn Ebi Ayobi (Center for Independent Living), Mieyebi Lawrence Ike (LGBT Foundation), Peremi Richmond Ike (Western Governors University), Rukevwe Francis Doghor (Legambiente), Christopher Francis (0000-0001-7557-631X, Nasarawa State University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 1-25 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-17 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Dynamics of Asymmetric Conflict (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1746-7594 • E-ISSN: 1746-7586 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/17467586.2026.2652270 |
| OpenAlex | W7154700801 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 21 |
Reintegrating those once affiliated with terrorism poses significant challenges. Yet a gap remains in interventions to improve public attitudes, due to a poor understanding of the rationale behind reintegration programmes and the need for greater receptiveness to discourage reoffending. This study makes an original contribution to empirically test the likelihood of a novel intervention called Prosociality, Empathy and Awareness Communication to aid rEintegration (PEACE) to improve attitude towards reintegration. A total of 70 participants were recruited and randomised into the experimental group, which received the PEACE intervention, or the waitlist control group. The study found that prior to the intervention, participants held negative views towards former rehabilitated Boko Haram members due to a perceived sense of injustice and alienation characterized by poor awareness of the government reintegration programme. However, participants in the experimental group who took part in the PEACE intervention demonstrated greater willingness to accept former rehabilitated prospective members back following awareness of the rationale behind the government reintegration program, while those in the control group’s attitudes towards reintegration remained unchanged. The finding provides important insights into the significance of targeted media communication in improving attitudes towards reintegration relevant for policy globally and recommends a fully powered trial to determine the intervention’s effectiveness in large populations.
Leopard · Poison control · Public health · Randomized controlled trial · Suicide prevention · African cultural and philosophical studies · African history and culture studies · Media Influence and Health
Thematic Analysis
Randomised controlled trials – the gold standard for effectiveness research
“Take them to Government House or Aso Rock”
Community perspectives of former terrorist combatants, militants and reintegration programmes in Nigeria
Community perspectives of terrorism and the Nigerian government’s counterterrorism strategies
Boko Haram and Niger Delta Avengers
The Role of the Media in the Construction of Public Belief and Social Change
Public perceptions and attitudes towards ex-offenders and their reintegration in Nigeria
Violent Extremist Disengagement and Reintegration
Reintegration of former Boko Haram members and combatants in Nigeria
Rethinking reintegration in Nigeria
Improving affected victims and community reintegration of former Boko Haram terrorist defectors in Nigeria
Victims of affected communities’ experiences of a legal education plus trauma-informed therapy compared to a media orientation intervention to improve reintegration of former Boko Haram members in Nigeria
What drives attitudes towards the reintegration of former fighters? Insights from a conjoint experiment in Nigeria
Combating the Terrorist Stigma
Insecurity, Counterterrorism and the Use of Private Military and Security Companies in Nigeria
| Highly cited | No |
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