Like so many protracted crises, this one has taken on its own nomenclature: “non-state armed groups” or “armed opposition groups” is how local stakeholders now refer to members of the group commonly known as Boko Haram, following its splintering in recent years into various affiliated cells with different aims and loyalties. In her book Women and the War on Boko Haram, Hilary Matfess says life is actually better for some women who support and live with the armed opposition groups. Conversely, a number of young women taking part in a focus group in the region said they had all been married before age 16. They said they felt safer that way because armed groups tend to abduct young unmarried girls, like Shuwa’s two daughters. These young women are probably acutely aware that the armed groups in this region increasingly use young girls as suicide bombers.

Source: thestar September 30, 2018 10:52 UTC