Boko Haram: Truth Alliance takes counter-narrative drama to North East communities*
•Drama aims to expose recruitment tactics of terrorist groups

By: Michael Mike

In a continued effort to counter extremist ideologies, The Truth Alliance has launched a community drama series under its “Time to Tell the Truth” campaign, aimed at exposing the recruitment tactics used by terrorist groups in Borno State.

This was contained in a statement on Tuesday by the group’s Spokesperson, Mr. Ahmed Mustapha. The event, which took place from June 24th to 25th, was staged across various communities, including Baga Road, Bolori, Bulumkutu, Gamboru, Hausari, and Showkari in Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State.

Drama has long served as a powerful medium to convey the truths about life and its challenges. This particular drama was staged in accessible, community-based locations such as marketplaces, view centers, and other strategic places within Maiduguri, ensuring maximum reach and impact.

The play, based on a true-life story, narrated the harrowing experience of a woman who was deceived into joining Boko Haram due to dire economic needs. The narrative, told through a friend’s perspective, highlighted the woman’s predicament: choosing between leaving Boko Haram and facing poverty and stigma, or returning to the chaos within the sect.

According to the play, the woman had been deeply involved in Boko Haram before realising the group’s deceit. Her story is one of grief, survival, hopelessness, and ultimately, a new beginning as she managed to escape. The drama underscored that terrorist organisations manipulate and exploit individuals, hiding the truth and valuing human lives insignificantly.

The community response to the drama was overwhelmingly positive. Many attendees expressed that the play enlightened them in both a playful and powerful way.

Kabiru Muhammad, a community stakeholder in Bolori, stressed the need for collaborative efforts to expose these recruitment strategies to prevent future occurrences. “This is a call to all of us to understand the deceiving strategy extremist groups use to recruit people to their ranks. I also call on all to use this story as an example and encourage the stakeholders to promote peace,” he said.

Ali Habib, a young resident from Showkari, urged his peers to be cautious when choosing friends, noting that bad influences can easily lead one astray, especially in the absence of employment opportunities. “Choosing a friend determines what future you want to have for yourself because when you choose someone that is into something bad, he or she would introduce you to it, especially when you are jobless,” he stated.

A woman from the Hausari community, who preferred to remain anonymous, highlighted the importance of parental responsibility and community support. She blamed both parental negligence and the lack of community assistance for those in need.

The drama was performed in both Hausa and Kanuri languages, ensuring it was accessible to a wide audience within the region.

Mustapha in the statement also assured that The Truth Alliance remains committed to implementing localized initiatives that benefit the community through active engagement and education in combating extremist ideologies and fostering a culture of peace.

He stated: “The Truth Alliance is committed to unmasking the truth behind violent and extremist groups and empowering communities to resist tyranny and violence. Through education, outreach, and collaboration, the Truth Alliance strives to build a safer, more resilient society for all.

“In a campaign tagged ‘Time to Tell the Truth’, the Truth Alliance has come together to expose the truth behind how violent extremist groups draw young people into their ranks. Their message is simple: These groups manipulate, they deceive, they Control, they kill, they kidnap, they destroy, and their movement as well as ideology is inherently weak.”

Boko Haram: Truth Alliance takes counter-narrative drama to North East communities*