CVE Nigeria Mission Report

The report was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in March 2016. The report highlights the rapidly evolving environment in the Northeast, marked by military success against Boko Haram/Islamic State in the West Africa Province (BH/ISWAP) and the consequent change in tactics. This positive evolution has led to a need for civilian measures to stabilize military gains and facilitate the return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). The report emphasizes the importance of establishing a cohesive national policy to encourage and accommodate defections, which is a missed opportunity to withdraw BH/ISWAP fighters from the battlefield and begin the reintegration process. The report also stresses the need for establishing "humanitarian space" for the return of IDPs and the implementation of adequate screening and vetting procedures for persons suspected of being associated with BH/ISWAP. The mission observations reveal a change in focus from the initial objective of compiling a national strategy on the Northeast to assisting the Government of Nigeria (GON) in implementing the Recovery and Peace Building Assessment (RPBA). The report highlights the need for CVE and defectors programs, including the "soft approach," to address the complex humanitarian crisis in the Northeast. The report notes that the current notion of military success against BH/ISWAP has led some key leadership in the GON to believe that CVE activities are not as necessary as they were before these military "successes." However, the report emphasizes the importance of considering the whole concept of social cohesion, co-existence, or pardon, which is a social taboo in the Northeast. The report also highlights the lack of a clear definition of the victim, which is crucial for recovery and reintegration. The Victims Support Fund (VSF) activities are described as early recovery, livelihood, and psychosocial support, focusing only on "special need groups" rather than on focused intervention on the various victims. The report concludes that various CVE-related areas require further thought and discussion, including the preconditions for displaced communities' return and reintegration. The report emphasizes the need for a public debate over these concerns and the establishment of a clear definition of the victim to facilitate recovery and reintegration. The report provides recommendations for the GON, including the establishment of a cohesive national policy to encourage and accommodate defections, the implementation of adequate screening and vetting procedures, and the establishment of a clear definition of the victim. The report also emphasizes the need for a public debate over the preconditions for displaced communities' return and reintegration. The report highlights the importance of addressing the complex humanitarian crisis in the Northeast through a comprehensive approach that includes CVE and defectors programs, social cohesion, and reintegration efforts. The report emphasizes the need for a coordinated and coherent assistance to affected people in the Northeast, including IDPs and victims of terrorism.