The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have called for strengthened protection and improved access to justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) linked to terrorism.
The call was made on Tuesday in Abuja during the Second Expert Group Meeting on the Development of a Toolkit for First Emergency Responders in Cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Linked to Terrorism.
Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the NCTC under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, explained that the toolkit would provide practical guidance to assist first responders in safeguarding survivors, facilitating rapid medical care, and preserving critical evidence for criminal investigations.
Laka noted that Nigeria’s prolonged fight against insurgency has shown that the impact of terrorism goes far beyond physical attacks, leaving victims with severe psychological distress, social stigma, and long-term challenges to rebuilding their lives.
“First responders operate under extreme pressure, limited resources, and competing demands,” Laka said. “Survivors’ safety, privacy, and dignity must remain paramount during any initial contact.” He urged participants to ensure the toolkit reflects the operational realities of emergency management, forensic practice, criminal justice, and community engagement.
In his address, UNODC Nigeria Country Representative, Cheikh Toure, highlighted how terrorist organizations systematically employ sexual and gender-based violence as a tactic to intimidate, punish, and control communities.
Citing the 2014 abduction of 276 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State, alongside widespread cases of forced marriages and sexual enslavement in the North-East, Toure stressed the urgency of translating international frameworks—such as UN Security Council Resolutions 2331 (2016) and 2467 (2019)—into localized, actionable tools.
”The survivor’s safety comes first; the case file comes second,” Toure asserted. He emphasized the necessity of a survivor-centered approach, clear operational roles for police, paramedics, civil defense, and community health workers, as well as multi-agency coordination to prevent victims from reliving their trauma repeatedly.
The international initiative is supported by the governments of Germany, Israel, and Switzerland, with additional support for the Abuja meeting provided by Canada.
Key international diplomats attending the event echoed the call for global cooperation:
Israel’s Special Envoy for Women, Peace and Security, Sarah Ma’udi, expressed solidarity with survivors of Boko Haram and other violent groups. She noted that the initiative draws on critical insights from the October 7, 2023 attacks in Israel and seeks to support first responders facing complex field conditions.
Anne Mosimann-Girardet, Senior Legal Adviser for Switzerland’s Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, stressed that actions taken during the initial response phase significantly impact survivors’ long-term well-being and legal prosecution outcomes.
Lorena Mohr, Political Counsellor at the German Embassy in Nigeria, recalled her visit to insurgency-affected areas like Gwoza in North-East Nigeria, emphasizing that structured guidelines will help maintain critical evidence to hold perpetrators accountable.
The multi-day Abuja meeting brings together national and international experts to review the draft toolkit, refine its practical application across urban and rural settings, and establish a roadmap for its finalization and nationwide deployment.
