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. While my empirical work is grounded in the Nigerian context, my research develops theoretical arguments that speak to broader debates on armed conflict and civilian agency beyond this case.

PhD Research

My dissertation, “The Paradox of Protection: Civilian Self-Protection and Its Consequences in Nigeria,” 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 Resilience Building project, it consists of four article-based chapters and an introduction that synthesises the overall argument. In their evaluation report, my examiners, Professor Stathis Kalyvas, Associate Professor Janet Lewis, and Professor Scott Gates, wrote that the dissertation “surpasses the standards for a PhD in terms of its scope and scientific contribution.”

Research Articles

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. Revise and resubmit.

  • Civilian Agency and Variations in Rebel Control. Revise and resubmit.

  • Community Capacity and Resilience Committees: Evidence from Northeast Nigeria (with Jana Krause). Under review.

Book Review Articles

Reports and Monographs

Selected Works in Progress

  • Displacing Violence: How Civilian Defense Militias Reshape Insurgent Violence (with Jana Krause).

  • Counterinsurgency and Resilience Interventions in Nigeria.

  • Aligned Incentives and the Persistence of Vulnerability Narratives.

I am happy to share drafts of work in progress upon request. Please feel free to contact me.