Last updated on September 11th, 2021 at 03:13 pm
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime will be launching a ‘new handbook on counter-terrorism investigations’ developed exclusively for Nigerian investigators working in the counter-terrorism arena.
The handbook will help bolster the fight against insurgency and terrorism in the country.
According to UNODC working in conjunction with the European Union and the Nigeria Police Force, the new Nigeria handbook on counter-terrorism investigations is designed to help investigators develop the skills and approaches necessary to ensure that evidence left behind at crime scenes are recovered and analysed, that investigative leads are effectively identified and pursued, and that potential intelligence opportunities are leveraged and exploited.
The UNODC noted that each terrorist incident poses unique and significant challenges to the law enforcement and security professionals charged both with finding the individuals responsible, along with those, who supported and directed them, and also with the weighty responsibility of trying to prevent the next attack.
In his foreword to the handbook, Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, welcomed the launch of handbook and thanked UNODC for its contribution to Nigeria’s struggle against terrorism.
UNODC Country Representative to Nigeria, Mr Oliver Stolpe, added that by combining sound foundational principles with the latest advances in forensic science and investigative best practice, “There is a hope that the handbook will become an indispensable aid for police trainers working across the country, and help a new generation of Nigerian counter-terrorism investigators to hold offenders to account and deliver justice to their victims.”
Ambassador Ketil Karlsen, Head of the European Union Delegation to Nigeria, emphasised the important role that law enforcement can play in combatting terrorism.
He said, “The EU is supporting the fight against terrorism and violent extremism in Nigeria in a comprehensive and multifaceted way.
“A key focus is on backing Nigerian-led initiatives that strengthen criminal justice responses to terrorism.”
