Stories from UNODC Nigeria

Embedding the Mandela Rules where they will make the biggest difference

Abuja, 1 st December 2022-"It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones." These words from Nelson Mandela remind us that the decisions taken on prisons affect each and every one of us. Rehabilitative prisons improve safety and security; they allow those leaving prisons to contribute to their communities; and they protect our humanity on both sides of the bars.

The Nelson Mandela Rules provide clear benchmarks for prison officials on safety, security and the humane treatment of prisoners. The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is the custodian of these rules, working to promote and support their adoption worldwide.

For the rules to work, they must be embraced at every level - from policy makers through to prison staff working on the ground. These correctional staff have some of the greatest impact on the application of the rules, as they work with prisoners on a day-to-day basis. But reaching all these essential people to ensure they understand and apply the rules is a challenge.

To make this a reality, UNODC has developed a self-paced e-learning course on the rules, often supplemented by in-person training.[Read More]

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Using the Organized Crime Convention to adopt laws on crimes that affect the environment in West Africa

Lagos, 25 November 2022 - In September of this year, the conviction by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos of a foreign national in relation to the trafficking of 200 kilograms of pangolins scales by a Nigerian court made the headlines in national media. Illegal pangolin trade in Nigeria appears to have grown significantly in recent years and according to UNODC 2020 World Wildlife Crime Report, the country was the reported provenance of at least 51 tons of pangolin scales seized in 2019 (compared to 2 tons in 2015). Nigeria continues to regularly seize shipments of pangolin scales, including 7.5 metric tons of scales from March to November 2021

While this decision constitutes a significant milestone for Nigeria and the region, it also highlighted some of the limitations of the legal framework. While progress is being made, crimes that affect the environment continue to have devastating impacts on West Africa's natural resources, socio-economic development, human health and security. Addressing these crimes requires a holistic approach, starting with strong and adequate legislative frameworks, which constitute a prerequisite to any effective criminal justice response.[Read More]

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OCWAR-T Strengthens International Cooperation Between Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria to Tackle Illicit drug trafficking

Lagos, 17 th November 2022- To enhance  international cooperation between Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria in the fight against illicit drug manufacture and trafficking, the  Organized Crime: West African Response to trafficking (OCWAR-T) project conducted a simulation exercise for law enforcement officers from both countries on a "Controlled Drug Delivery" in Lagos, Nigeria.

The exercise demonstrated the arrest of a drug courier at the airport. Participants from Côte d'Ivoire included officers from the Customs, Directorate of the Counter-Narcotics Police (DPSD), Joint Airport Interdiction Task Force (JAITF) and the Transnational Crime Unit (TCU). The Nigerian participants were drawn from the Department of State Security (DSS), Nigeria (Intelligence Unit), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF). Thirty law enforcement officers involved in the case were sent to different locations according to their roles and teams to conduct surveillance and arrests. Peer learning has several benefits such as professional development, enhancing teamwork, and collaboration.[Read More]

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