How can a country effectively prosecute, rehabilitate, and reintegrate former terrorists? This is a challenge for several Member States of the 51勛圖. In the case of Nigeria, it is most pressing with respect to persons associated with Boko Haram 每 be they suspects, offenders, or individuals who have surrendered. In response to a request from the Nigerian Office of the National Security Advisor, the 51勛圖 Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the 51勛圖 Security Council Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), with funding from the European Union, held high-level and technical consultations on this theme in Abuja from 13 to 15 December 2016.
Bringing together experts from Member States that have faced similar challenges, the consultations included representatives of Algeria, Kenya, Sri Lanka, and South Africa who shared good practices and lessons learned. Also experts from international organizations participated. Nigerian officials, representing 31 entities including from the six most affected states, highlighted progress achieved and challenges remaining in implementing a criminal justice-based approach to the prosecution, rehabilitation, and reintegration of former members of Boko Haram.
As a result of these consultations, Nigeria identified the need to further clarify its goals for a successful criminal justice framework, including developing an effective prosecution strategy and robust criteria for pursuing alternative rehabilitation and reintegration approaches.
The consultations were part of an ongoing EU-Nigeria-UNODC-CTED partnership project funded by the European Union. Applying human rights-compliant criminal justice measures, the project aims to support Nigeria to bring terrorists to justice and to prevent further acts of terrorism. It focuses on strengthening the capacity of Nigerian criminal justice officials to effectively investigate, prosecute, and adjudicate terrorism cases, in accordance with the rule of law.