In Cameroon’s Far North Region, a delicate process of reintegration is underway as former Boko Haram fighters, including those abducted as children or coerced into combat, begin to return to their communities. As of November 2024, over 4,000 former fighters have joined the country’s Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration (DDR) centers, with the center in Mémé specifically catering to former Boko Haram combatants, abducted women, and children.

However, the reintegration process is fraught with challenges, including overcrowding, limited resources, and insufficient staff at the DDR centers. This undermines the objective of providing psychological care and community mediation to allow returnees to safely reintegrate into their villages. Successful reintegration requires addressing the fears of communities and confronting the complex realities shaping daily life in the region.

Many former fighters were children when they were abducted by Boko Haram, forced into killing, and punished for hesitation. They now carry a double burden: the weight of the crimes they were forced to commit and the cold shoulder of a society unwilling to see them as anything but a threat. Women who were abducted, forced into marriage, and subjected to sexual violence also face rejection and stigma upon their return, often with children born of rape.

Reintegration programs must recognize the critical role women play in the healing process, not just as victims but as leaders who can help stabilize communities and prevent cycles of violence. However, the National Committee for Disarmament, Demobilisation, and Reintegration rarely works with women as active leaders in the reintegration process, overlooking their voices and capacities.

The economic vulnerability of returnees, many of whom have no education, land, or marketable skills, also poses a significant challenge. Extremist groups thrive in environments of hopelessness, and the promise of money, purpose, or false belonging can become dangerously appealing. Programs offering vocational training, apprenticeships, and micro-loans have made a dent, but more long-term investment is needed to provide true reintegration.

Forgiveness is a crucial aspect of the reintegration process, but it is often the hardest work. Communities that have endured massacres and kidnappings may view the return of a former fighter as a threat rather than a hope. However, reconciliation through dialogue circles, public service roles, and community-led initiatives can help heal wounds and allow for a shared present. As one religious leader noted, “Forgiveness is not weakness. It is how we survive together.”

Cameroon stands at a crossroads, with the choice to invest in healing, mental health, economic opportunity, and community reconciliation or to continue investing in walls, prisons, and suspicion. The outcome will determine whether peace takes root or the cycle of violence begins again. Ultimately, peace is not the silence of guns but the return of trust, and reintegration is the hardest, most strategic battle of all.