Stories from UNODC Nigeria

“The tools I have acquired are not just about pixels and how to publish posts, but they symbolize a beacon of hope”: STRIVE Juvenile Nigeria works with YPCs to strengthen their capacity on social media, art & animation for peacebuilding

The growing use and popularity of social media is an opportunity for a unique and innovative approach to advocacy that empowers children and young people. In Nigeria, children and young individuals aged 0-30 make up 70% of the population. By integrating this demographic into advocacy platforms and encouraging meaningful participation, the world has an opportunity to turbocharge its efforts in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, especially in promoting peace and security.  

 

Social media is unfortunately also used by terrorist and violent extremist groups. for recruiting, spreading propaganda, and disseminating hate, misinformation and false promises. Children and young people are the ones most targeted online by these groups. However, social media can also be a key tool for peacebuilding. Empowering children and young people on the effective use of media, including technological tools, is crucial to creating an alternative narrative and promoting peace, especially in conflict-affected regions.  

 

In Nigeria, particularly in Borno State, children and young people are often caught in the crossfire[Read More]

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As part of the wider efforts to mark the International Day of Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, UNODC sat down with Professor Tanko from the Victims Support Fund

Habibah* was just a young girl when her life was turned upside down. Caught in a bomb blast in northeast Nigeria by suspected Boko Haram terrorists, she suffered life-changing physical injuries to her legs. Habiba would need complex, long-term physical and psychological support to heal, but in a country ravaged by Boko-Haram inflicted trauma, her recovery was far from certain.

 

Habibah is just one of the many victims of terrorism since the Boko Haram insurgency began in northeast Nigeria over a decade ago. More than 35,000 people have been killed in the conflict. Another 315,000 people have died as an indirect consequence of the fighting, and more than 3,600,000 people have been displaced.  In 2014, the Nigerian government established the Victims Support Fund (VSF), a public-private partnership aimed at supporting the recovery of victims of terrorism. At its helm is Professor Nana Tanko, a civil society expert who has dedicated her life to humanitarian and development work in West and Central Africa.

 

It was shortly after the outbreak of violence that Professor Tanko was compelled to return to her homeland in northeast Nigeria to support her country at its time of need. She recalls that when the VSF was first established, [Read More]

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The presumption of innocence, fairness and the rights of offenders

To commemorate the 75 th Anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights UNODC is running a series of articles over the course of the year connecting our work in Nigeria to these universal principles.

 

"Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which [they have] had all the guarantees necessary for [their] defense"

"No one shall be held guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence, under national or international law, at the time when it was committed. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed."

Article 11 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights articulates several critical elements of the rule of law, in relation to suspects and convicts of criminal offences. Article 11.1 explicitly captures the presumption of innocence and the fundamental rights and legal protections to be afforded to suspects. Article 11.2 prohibits the application of retroactive laws and discourages the imposition of disproportionately hefty sentences for crimes committed.

Dogo, a drug user, was charged with the offence of aiding and abetting the sale of two (2) grams of cocaine, in 2021. In the absence of legal representation and while awaiting trial, Dogo was detained and placed in the custody of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for almost 10 months. In detention,[Read More]

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