SUPPORT TO THE NIGERIAN PRISONS SERVICE’S DERADICALISATION PROGRAMME
Since May 2017 CIVIPOL has been working on a capacity building and deradicalisation project in Nigeria’s prisons. The project is funded by €4.4 million from the European Commission via the European Union’s Instrument contributing to Stability and Peace (ICSP).
The aim of the project, which follows a pilot project already implemented by CIVIPOL from 2014 to 2016, is to help reduce violent extremism.
Given that Boko Haram seems to be losing momentum, the deradicalisation programme aims to build on the military successes of the Nigerian army and its allies against the sect. The plan is part of the French Ministry of the Interior’s desire to contribute to a return to domestic security in France, notably through the development of effective deradicalisation expertise in the countries that export the threat.
A deradicalisation, support and training project for the prison service
A team of experts has been working in three prisons in Nigeria (one in Abuja and two in Lagos) to develop deradicalisation activities (e.g., psychological support, religious education lessons, art workshops and fitness classes) and support deradicalisation training for Nigerian Prison Service (NPS) staff.
The project is based on three components :
- Support for the implementation of the deradicalisation programme through three main actions :
- 1.1 : extension of the action in the Kuje prison in Abuja (extension of the initial pilot project) ;
- 1.2 : expansion of the action to other prisons ;
- 1.3 : provision of equipment to support the deradicalisation programme.
- Support for central government in particular the NPS deradicalisation unit,
- Support for training centers through, for example, the implementation of the training method developed during the previous project.
Extension of the project
The project which was initially due to end on 14 November 2018 was extended for a further six months to capitalise on the initial progress. At the same time the project actions were expanded to two prisons in Lagos (Kiri Kiri Medium and Maximum) and the Kuje pilot site in Abuja.
The aim of the six-month extension includes :
- Strengthening the quality of the implementation of activities for the Lagos prisons
- Expanding the activities to a fourth prison
- Sourcing professional specialised training for the members of the newly recruited local processing team in charge of running the programmes in the prisons.
On 14 May 2019, a further extension was agreed as an exception, in order to produce a documentary video to circulate the results of the project and to strengthen collaboration with the rehabilitation programme for Boko Haram defectors implemented by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in the north-east of the country.
L'équipe du projet à Paris et l'équipe de Civipol au Nigéria réuni dans les bureaux du projet à Abuja
The project in figures
4.4 M€
GRANT BUDGET
Three prisons and almost 250 prisoners covered
A PROJECT DEVELOPED IN THE PILOT PRISON IN KUJE IN ABUJA AND TWO OTHER PRISONS IN LAGOS
Almost 30 staff employed in Nigeria
A TEAM OF 10 AND A POOL OF 15 EXPERTS
Chronology
Start of project
-
November 2017
Start of the project
Six-month extension
-
15 May 2019
Planned end of project
-
15 May 2019
New six-month extension
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14 November 2019
End of project
Le directeur de programme de l'UE en visite à Abuja en avril 2018 pour rencontrer les experts et l'équipe locale du projet
About the project
Person in charge of steering
COLLET Pierre
Project status
Finished
Funding type
European Union
Contract type