THE NHRC IN COLLABORATION WITH THE UNDP AND EU ORGANIZED AN ENTRY DIALOGUE AND STAKEHOLDERS’ CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOP ON RECONCILIATION, TRANSITIONAL AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE IN BORNO, ADAMAWA AND YOBE STATE, WHICH TOOK PLACE IN MAIDUGURI, BORNO STATE AND YOU WERE IN ATTENDANCE. THE OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROMOTE NON-JUDICIAL TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE PROCESSES, WHICH IS KEY IN REBUILDING THE REGION THAT HAS SUFFERED THE DEVASTATING EFFECT OF INSURGENCY, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE CAN DO TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT IN BORNO STATE?
Ministry of justice has the constitutional jurisdiction to advice the government on any legal frame work regarding any issue whatsoever. From the understanding of this project and from the experience of the outcome of truth and reconciliation commissions, e.g., the Oputa panel, reports and recommendations submitted to the government cannot be implemented without referring to the ministry for advice. So, we play an advisory role and where there is a need to do and where necessary we can also propose a bill to the house of assembly for passage into law to kick start the project if it is necessary, so we are looking at a situation where in the near future, the state will be implementing and anchoring such programme. To answer your question, I can simply say the ministry of justice will apart from advising the state government on the project, provide a legal framework for the successful implementation of the project in this state.
DO YOU THINK THERE COULD HAVE BEEN A BETTER APPROACH TO REACH AN AMICABLE RESOLUTION THAT COULD RESULT IN LASTING PEACE, REINTEGRATION AND REHABILITATION OF THE POPULATION OF CONCERN, BEARING IN MIND THE NEED TO HEAL THE WOUNDS AND WIPE THE TEARS ON THE LAND?
I appreciate and commend the commission and its partners for conceiving the idea of this project. If the correct idea and pattern of reconciliation was followed before now, we would have gone far and will not be talking about this issue of restitutive justice when we should be talking about real development. The FG and the BAY states (Borno, Adamawa and Yobe States) are working hard to see that the perpetrators are reintegrated into the society, that is not bad at all, but I feel it is very necessary and important to consider the victims first. Let them be a matter of first priority before we begin to think about the perpetrators because they are the ones that need urgent help, they are worst hit by insurgency, their condition is precarious. Taking care of these victims could go simultaneously with deradicalization, there is nothing wrong with that, but the most important thing is that the victims should be given a priority. If this is done, reconciliation would be smooth, easy and possible. Let me tell you something, they say the path to reconciliation is tough and rough, I totally agree because even as Muslims who believe in predestination, sometimes it is difficult to accept what has happened, how do you expect a child whose parents were gunned down and turned into an orphan to feel? How do you expect a woman who only knows how to use her husband’s resources to keep the home, to now be going to farm doing hard labour just to provide for her children to feel? They can forgive but deep down in their hearts there are a lot of misgivings. They need to be talked to in a manner that is healing to them in all ramifications. It is a difficult task and may take time but gradually we will rebuild our region, let’s just consider the victims because they are critical. Again, back to your question, this approach is better because its less expensive, shorter, more accommodating, but it should be done properly.
AS RELEVANT STAKEHOLDERS IN THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE TO THE FACILITATORS?
My advice is that the facilitators should first and foremost know that Boko haram is ideological, and the facilitators should be patient and not be in a rush to make them change their ideologies immediately, they need counselling first and then a bit of preaching and a lot of tact and diplomacy must be used in all these, so the facilitators should be people with vast knowledge of Islamic principles to be able to talk convincingly from the Islamic perspective on what has happened and how to put it behind them.
As for the victims, our people are easy going, with a little push, appeal and the genuine need to rebuild the future for the next generation, they will put behind what has happened. We also have people of the Christian faith who have suffered the same violations, the same must apply to them, we need clerics to talk to them to win their hearts and minds towards reconciliation. The most important things are tact, diplomacy and most of all a show of genuine love and concern devoid of politics.
DO YOU ENVISAGE ANY CHALLENGE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT? IF YES PLEASE PROFFER SOLUTIONS
The work at hand is enormous, we are not underestimating the capacity of the NHRC and its Partners to address the issues we are confronted with, but we know that victims have been displaced without livelihood, children orphaned, women turned into widows and so on. Funding is key in trying to make these people come to terms with the unfortunate situation that has befallen them, I fear that this may be a great challenge; I don’t know how buoyant you are anyway. But it is important to also always remember that the focus of the project is community and victims centred, you need as much funds as you can possibly get to see to it that you satisfy the people… at least, let them see that you are ready to provide succour for them, no matter how very little, the right target should be focused.
Again, there are pockets of security challenges which may have adverse effect on the impact of the achievements that may be recorded, therefore there is a need for the commission and its partners to ensure the safety of the people that will implement the project, in this case the facilitators, the traditional and religious leaders etc. This can be done by the Commission reaching out to the military that are in the theatre of war to provide security and coverage for the implementation of the project. Furthermore, youths in the communities can also be mobilized to provide the support they can during the implementation of the project in their various localities because they know the terrains and can deploy their expertise and this is key for the success of the project.
