The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) partnered with the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian Police Force (NPF) to deliver a series of three in-depth training workshops for a second select group of 20 Nigerian legal advisors from September to November 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria. This training activity built on the successfully training series of five in-depth training workshops which took place in fall 2015 and spring 2016 and was funded by Germany and the European Union.
This second training series, financed by Germany, constituted a further important step in Nigeria's efforts to bring terrorists to justice through rule of law-based and human rights-compliant criminal justice measures. The training took a practical approach utilizing case studies and concrete exercises and covered good practices on issues such as written and oral advocacy in the early stages of a case, the use of special investigation techniques, the rights of the suspect upon arrest, and the application of human rights provisions.
The DSS and NPF legal advisors are responsible for guiding and advising during the investigation of criminal offences, including terrorism cases, and, thus, are instrumental in helping to bring together the evidence for a successful prosecution. The training participants were 20 legal advisors working throughout Nigeria and the Federal Capitol Territory. Participants appreciated the opportunity to interact and exchange experiences and challenges with experts from Nigeria itself and from Germany, Kenya, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as UNODC, who shared their expertise, experiences and good practices.
The closing ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of Germany to Nigeria, and representatives of Nigeria's Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force and UNODC.
The German Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Michael Zenner, the UNODC, Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force Legal Advisers and international experts who participated in the in-depth training series
Department of State Services and Nigeria Police Force legal advisors participating in a practical case study
