BornoGovt Launches Transitional Justice Manual for Peacebuilding
By Ibrahim Umar,
Kanempress News,
29th, November,2024
The Borno State Government, through its Ministry of Information and Internal Security and in partnership with Green Advocacy for Conflict Prevention & Resilience Building (GACRB), has unveiled a new Transitional Justice (TJ) Manual titled “Sulhu Sai Da Adalci – Reconciliation Requires Justice.” This initiative, backed by the Africa Transitional Justice Legacy Fund (ATJLF), was officially launched on Thursday, November 28, 2024, at City Star Hotel, Maiduguri.
The TJ/ADR initiative is part of the broader Borno Model for Peace, Reconciliation, and Development, supervised by the Office of the Deputy Governor. This model provides short, medium, and long-term solutions for the reintegration of repentant insurgents and the rehabilitation of Boko Haram victims. The initiative leverages the involvement of grassroots communities, traditional leaders, clergy, and local influencers as mediators to offer an alternative framework for justice and reconciliation.
Prof. Mala Mustapha, Executive Director of GACRB, highlighted that this two-year project is designed to advance transitional justice in Nigeria’s Northeast, with a focus on Borno State. “Our program empowers victims of Boko Haram atrocities while fostering reconciliation and social cohesion,” Prof. Mustapha stated. He also commended the leadership of Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, for implementing the globally recognized Borno Model for peace and reconciliation.
As part of the initiative, GACRB signed an MoU with the University of Maiduguri’s Centre for Peace, Development, and Diplomatic Studies (CPDDS) on September 9, 2024, to train 60 community stakeholders from Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States using the manual “Sulhu Sai Da Adalci.” Additionally, the Borno State Government has sponsored over 20 candidates to be trained in the MA TJ program at UNIMAID, some of whom will staff the TJ Unit at the Ministry of Information and Internal Security.
The TJ program at UNIMAID includes a six-month certification course on transitional justice, featuring a “Training of Trainers” model. Graduates will subsequently conduct step-down training in nine selected communities across the three states, promoting dialogue and rebuilding trust post-insurgency.
The Honourable Commissioner of Information and Internal Security, Prof. Usman Tar, represented by the Special Adviser on Security to the Governor, Gen. Abdullahi Ishaq (retired), remarked that the GACRB project aligns with the Borno Model and the DDRR program for ex-Boko Haram combatants. “This project addresses community resistance to reintegration and equips youth with alternative narratives to prevent radicalization. Our goal is to develop a framework for TJ and nurture a critical mass of TJ professionals to support this process,” Prof. Tar explained.
The project is expected to enhance local-level dialogue, increase community ownership of transitional justice processes, and create a sustainable framework for peacebuilding in Borno State and the broader Northeast region.
The launch event saw participation from key stakeholders, including Alhaji Shettima Ali Marte, Executive Secretary of the Security Trust Fund; Barr. Jummai Mshelia, State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission; Prof. Adam Ajiri from the University of Maiduguri; and Hajiya Fatima Audu Yusuf, General Manager of Peace FM Radio, among others.
