The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, Justice John Tsoho, in partnership with the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) at the U.S. Embassy Abuja and its implementing partner, the National Center for State Courts (NCSC), on Wednesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening the capacity of relevant justice sector stakeholders to adjudicate terrorism financing cases, among others.
The MOU was signed at the FHC headquarters, signaling the official launch of the “U.S.-FUNDED PROGRAM TO STRENGTHEN NIGERIA’S CAPACITY TO INVESTIGATE, PROSECUTE, DEFEND, AND ADJUDICATE TERRORISM AND ATROCITY CASES” in Nigeria.
The event was attended by Nairametrics.
The program seeks to “strengthen the capacity of Nigeria’s judicial sector to investigate, prosecute, defend, and adjudicate terrorism, terrorism financing, atrocity crimes, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, ensuring alignment with the rule of law and international best practices,” according to NCSC Nigeria.
Details of the Program
Through targeted training, stakeholder engagements, and technical assistance, the program aims to equip Nigerian justice institutions with the tools and expertise necessary to manage and resolve complex terrorism and atrocity cases effectively and ethically.
Key areas of focus include enhancing courtroom procedures and case management across Nigeria.
Terrorism Financing
In her remarks at the event, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat M. Kereke-Ekun, stated that through specialized training, technical workshops, collaborative dialogues, and court observation exercises, the project will equip participants with “the necessary tools to handle the complexities of terrorism, terrorist financing, and atrocity crimes.”
- The CJN, who was represented by Supreme Court Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, highlighted that the program will also strengthen case management processes and inter-agency coordination, ensuring Nigeria’s justice delivery mechanisms are both efficient and credible.
“For over two decades, the NCSC has been a consistent and trusted ally in the Nigerian judiciary’s reform journey. Working closely with the National Judicial Council, it has contributed significantly to the development of a customized case management system tailored to our local procedures. It has also supported court automation, championed the adoption of digital tools, delivered critical training programs, and promoted institutional transparency through court monitoring initiatives,” Garba said, adding that this project brings with it renewed energy and a sharpened focus on one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
On his part, Justice Tsoho expressed profound gratitude to the court’s international partners who have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s justice sector.
- He added that their invaluable support, both technical and financial, has made the current training program a reality.
“This collaboration underscores the global nature of the fight against terrorism and atrocity crimes, and the understanding that no single nation can tackle these challenges alone,” he added.
- The representative of the U.S. Embassy Abuja, INL Director Candace Spradley, stated that the project is a commitment to justice and accountability.
- Through facilitating prosecutions on terrorism and atrocity cases, Spradley assured that relevant stakeholders can make the United States and Nigeria safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
What You Should Know
The development comes months after the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) added Nigeria and South Africa to its grey list on February 24, 2024.
Countries on the grey list face increased monitoring and are required to strengthen efforts to combat money laundering and terrorism financing, according to the task force.
- The FATF had explained that being placed on the grey list indicates a commitment by the jurisdiction to address identified strategic deficiencies within agreed timeframes.
- As an intergovernmental policy-making body, the FATF focuses on combating money laundering and terrorist financing.
In 2024, the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) announced that the FATF had approved Nigeria’s fourth progress report since it was placed under monitoring.
