In Nigeria, healing the scars of war might curtail its spread
In Nigeria, healing the scars of war might curtail its spread
irinnews, 13 Jul 2017
URL: http://www.irinnews.org/feature/2017/07/13/nigeria-healing-scars-war-might-curtail-its-spread
It’s often said that prevention is better than cure. But when it comes to the devastation wreaked upon civilians by armed groups, can cure serve as a form of prevention?
For Imrana Alhaji Buba, a policy specialist at the Global Alliance of Youths Countering Violent Extremism, the answer is a resounding “Yes”.
“Providing trauma healing for victims of terrorism is an integral part of countering violent extremism,” he told IRIN.
“Many of the victims of terrorism are likely to suffer severe emotional trauma that may affect their ability to develop emotional awareness, empathy, self-esteem, and basic problem-solving skills,” he added.
“Left unchecked, many of these victims will grow up believing that violence is the only solution to coping, and, as a result, many of them become vulnerable to extremist viewpoints. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to defeat terrorism is to promote effective trauma counselling.”
When Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram attacked the large town of Damboa in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State three years ago, Hajiya Wuliya and her family took refuge in their tiny room for nearly two weeks, scraping by on water and few food supplies.
“Boko Haram militants overran the town and seized the military barracks and killed dozens of people,” Wuliya, 35, told IRIN.
“We trekked for five days until we got to Biu, and I couldn’t think clearly again – I just lost my mind and became unconscious.”
Though the 35-year-old mother of three yearns to return to her normal life after reuniting with her family in the state capital, Maiduguri – where displaced civilians have doubled the population from one to two million – Wuliya has struggled to overcome mental health problems.
“Sometimes I stayed awake all night thinking, and I kept having nightmares,” she said. “My husband left me because he couldn’t stand the suffering here.”
Healthcare vacuum
Most survivors like Wuliya are in dire need of mental health assistance, but Boko Haram's brutal insurgency has left most healthcare facilities in ruins, as well as destroying entire villages and crops.
READ: Our in-depth package of articles on Boko Haram
The Neem Foundation, a non-profit led by psychologist Fatima Akilu, is doing what it can to bridge the gap in Borno State.
“There is a misconception that psychological trauma is a secondary need that does not qualify as part of an emergency response,” Akilu said.
Such trauma is caused by the region’s recurrent violence, arbitrary detention, disappearances, forced displacement, forced recruitment, and abuses such as sexual and gender-based violence.
Yet there are fewer than 150 psychiatrists in Nigeria, a country of 182 million inhabitants, according to the Ministry of Health.
In Borno, there are just eight: half of them state employees, half working with the foundation.
For Imrana Alhaji Buba, a policy specialist at the Global Alliance of Youths Countering Violent Extremism, the answer is a resounding “Yes”.
“Providing trauma healing for victims of terrorism is an integral part of countering violent extremism,” he told IRIN.
“Many of the victims of terrorism are likely to suffer severe emotional trauma that may affect their ability to develop emotional awareness, empathy, self-esteem, and basic problem-solving skills,” he added.
“Left unchecked, many of these victims will grow up believing that violence is the only solution to coping, and, as a result, many of them become vulnerable to extremist viewpoints. Therefore, one of the most effective ways to defeat terrorism is to promote effective trauma counselling.”
When Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram attacked the large town of Damboa in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno State three years ago, Hajiya Wuliya and her family took refuge in their tiny room for nearly two weeks, scraping by on water and few food supplies.
“Boko Haram militants overran the town and seized the military barracks and killed dozens of people,” Wuliya, 35, told IRIN.
“We trekked for five days until we got to Biu, and I couldn’t think clearly again – I just lost my mind and became unconscious.”
Though the 35-year-old mother of three yearns to return to her normal life after reuniting with her family in the state capital, Maiduguri – where displaced civilians have doubled the population from one to two million – Wuliya has struggled to overcome mental health problems.
“Sometimes I stayed awake all night thinking, and I kept having nightmares,” she said. “My husband left me because he couldn’t stand the suffering here.”
Healthcare vacuum
Most survivors like Wuliya are in dire need of mental health assistance, but Boko Haram's brutal insurgency has left most healthcare facilities in ruins, as well as destroying entire villages and crops.
READ: Our in-depth package of articles on Boko Haram
The Neem Foundation, a non-profit led by psychologist Fatima Akilu, is doing what it can to bridge the gap in Borno State.
“There is a misconception that psychological trauma is a secondary need that does not qualify as part of an emergency response,” Akilu said.
Such trauma is caused by the region’s recurrent violence, arbitrary detention, disappearances, forced displacement, forced recruitment, and abuses such as sexual and gender-based violence.
Yet there are fewer than 150 psychiatrists in Nigeria, a country of 182 million inhabitants, according to the Ministry of Health.
In Borno, there are just eight: half of them state employees, half working with the foundation.