At a small primary school in north-east Nigeria, a group of uniformed orphans are greeting a visitor to their art class. Some are the children of Boko Haram fighters. Others are the offspring of their victims. This school is different. It consciously and publicly welcomes both the orphans of jihadists – and the children of civilians and soldiers killed by the jihadists. To create this progressive environment, all staff are required to enrol their own children as students, “in order to show your commitment to the school”. Many of the students still have living mothers – and these widows are encouraged to participate in a parents’ union whose members get a say in the direction of the school. It’s a scheme that helps to enhance the sense of cohesion.
Outside the school gates, such inclusivity is harder to find. Women rescued from captivity with Boko Haram sometimes report being rejected by their families and communities, who fear they were radicalised while kidnapped. Children of Boko Haram are sometimes accused of inheriting their fathers’ extremism. One Boko Haram bride initially refused to mother her own newborn baby, fearing he would turn into an insurgent.