My research examines civilian self-protection, the dynamics of intrastate political violence, and post-conflict recovery, with a particular focus on Nigeria. Methodologically, my work is primarily qualitative, based on extensive fieldwork and analyzed through controlled comparison and process tracing. My fluency in local languages, familiarity with local customs, and lived experience in conflict-affected areas allow me to interpret cultural contexts with nuance and reduce the risk of misrepresenting participants’ narratives.
PhD Research
My dissertation investigates variation in civilian self-protection strategies during conflict, their uneven protective effects, and the unintended negative consequences they generate in the context of the Boko Haram insurgency and banditry in Nigeria. Funded by the European Research Council’s ResilienceBuilding project, it consists of four article-based chapters and an introduction that synthesises the overall argument.
Research Articles
Civilian Protection Payment and the Escalation of Violence against Civilians in Northwestern Nigeria (Global Studies Quarterly, 2023). Winner of the 2024 Cedric Smith Prize.
Civilian Militia Formation and Protection Against Insurgent Violence: Evidence from Nigeria(Political Geography, 2026). Co-authored with Jana Krause.
Consequences of Conflict-induced Displacement on Host Communities: Insights from Nigeria (International Studies Review, Accepted). Article in a Forum “Civilian Self-Protection in Theory and Practice” edited by Betcy Jose & Peace Medie.
Research Articles Under Review
Collective Action Capacity and Civilian Compliance in Civil War: Insights from Nigeria. Winner of the 2026 Kenneth Boulding Award. Revise and resubmit.
‘Handling Wolves as Sheep’: The Failure of Negotiated Settlements with Bandits in Northwestern Nigeria.
Advancing Communal Violence Research: Definition and Operationalization (with Jana Krause, Marika Miner, and Melanie Sauter).
Civilian Compliance and Displacement in the Boko Haram Insurgency. Revise and Resubmit.
Book Review Articles
A Closer Look at Civilian Protection: A Comparative Review of Two Paradigmatic Works (International Peacekeeping, 2024).
Out of Sight: Northeast Nigeria’s Humanitarian Crisis (African Studies Review, 2024).
Using Force to Protect Civilians: Successes and Failures of United Nations Peace Operations in Africa(International Affairs, 2024).
Violent Resistance: Militia Formation and Civil War in Mozambique (International Affairs, 2023).
Civilian Agency in Civil War? Militia Formation and Diffusion in Mozambique (International Studies Review, 2023).
Decolonising Intervention: International Statebuilding in Mozambique(Progress in Development Studies, 2023).
Unmasking Boko Haram: Exploring Global Jihad in Nigeria (South African Journal of International Affairs, 2021).
Aid, Intervention, and Neocolonial ‘Development’ in Africa (Journal of Intervention and Statebuilding, 2018).
Reports and Monographs
Maiduguri: City Report (African Cities Research Consortium Working Paper 2024-14).
Youth and Capability Development: Domain Report (African Cities Research Consortium Working Paper 2024-1).
Implementing UNSCR 2250: Youth and Religious Actors Engaging for Peace (USIP, 2017).
Selected Works in Progress
Civilian Agency and Variations in Rebel Control: The Case of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Community Capacity and Post-Conflict Resilience Building: Findings from Borno State, Nigeria (with Jana Krause).
Conflict and Careers: Youth Work Imaginaries amid Insurgency in Nigeria.
Education, Patronage, and the Transition to Adulthood: Youth in Maiduguri, Nigeria (with Elizabeth Dessie and Katja Starc Card).
I am happy to share drafts of work in progress upon request. Please feel free to contact me.