Reasons and Effects of youth involvement in Conflicts in Borno State, Nigeria: Implications for Counselling (original) (raw)

Abstract Youtharemanipulatedby“merchantsofviolence”fordestructiverather than exploiting theirpotentials forconstructive purposes.The study surveyedthereasonsforandeffectsofyouthinvolvementinconflictsin BornoState,Nigeria.From thepopulationofallyouthsintheState,atotal of600youthparticipatedinthestudymadeupof456malesand144 femalesselectedthroughvolunteersamplingtechniquesfrom 5Internally DisplacedPeople’sCamp,4motorparksand2PoliticalPartyOfficesin JereandMaiduguriMetropolis.StructuredInterview Schedule(SIS)and FocusedGroupDiscussions(FGD)weretheinstrumentsusedtocollect dataforthestudy.Datacollectedwasanalyzedusingfrequencycounts, percentages and rank ordering. Results of the study revealed unemployment, poor parental upbringing, exposure to firearms, proliferationofdrugsandinfluenceofpeergroupassomeofthereasons foryouth involvementin conflictswhilebreakdown oflaw and order, destructionsoflivesandproperties,forcefulmigration,increasedcostof livingandeducationalsetbackconstitutesomeoftheeffectsofyouth involvementin conflicts in the study area.Provision ofsomething worthwhiletodofortheteamingyouth,inclusionofpeacestudiesand conflictsresolutionandentrepreneurshipforskillsacquisitionintothe schoolcurriculum,value re-orientation and organizing conferences, seminarsandworkshopstoenlightentheyouthontheevilsofconflicts were some of the counselling implications and recommendations proffered. Keywords:Youth,conflicts,reasons,effects,counsellingimplications