Building Capacity of Nigerian Judicial Sector to Prosecute Terrorism and Atrocity Cases | INL24CA0053 AMENIGERIA ATROCPROSEC 05032

Opportunity Information: Apply for INL24CA0053 AMENIGERIA ATROCPROSEC 05032

The grant opportunity titled Building Capacity of Nigerian Judicial Sector to Prosecute Terrorism and Atrocity Cases (Funding Opportunity Number INL24CA0053) is a U.S. government-funded cooperative agreement run by the Department of State's Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL). It is framed around Nigeria's high terrorism impact ranking and the large volume of serious crimes committed by groups such as ISIS-West Africa and Boko Haram, including massacres, mass killings, sexual violence and enslavement, suicide bombings, abductions, and forced conscription. The central goal is to strengthen Nigeria's ability to fairly and effectively investigate, prosecute, adjudicate, and defend terrorism and atrocity cases so that perpetrators can be held accountable while legal processes meet basic standards of justice.

The problem the program is trying to solve is a major backlog of terrorism-related cases and a justice process that struggles to move complex matters forward. The opportunity description points to several specific bottlenecks: prosecutors and judges often lack specialized knowledge needed for atrocity and terrorism prosecutions; court administration is inefficient, with some judges transcribing proceedings by hand, which increases delays and the risk of errors; and defense capacity is limited because Legal Aid Council lawyers have not always received specialized training for these kinds of cases. There are also practical challenges created by the physical distance between detention facilities and the officials responsible for prosecution, defense, and judicial decisions, which makes coordination and court appearances harder to manage. Finally, weak case management, disorganized court administration, and limited coordination among key institutions, particularly the Federal Ministry of Justice Complex Case Group, the Federal High Court, and the Joint Investigative Center (a multi-agency investigative unit drawing from the military, police, and state security services), further slow progress.

The Nigerian institutions highlighted as central stakeholders include the Federal Ministry of Justice (specifically its Complex Case Group, which has been assigned responsibility for prosecuting terrorism and atrocity cases), the Federal High Court of Nigeria (the court with jurisdiction over terrorism cases, with designated judges assigned to these matters), the Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON), which provides defense services to those charged, and the National Human Rights Commission, which is mandated to promote and protect human rights and investigate violations. Taken together, the opportunity is aimed at building a more functional pipeline from investigation to prosecution to adjudication, while also supporting competent defense and attention to human rights concerns in the process.

In practical terms, the expected focus areas implied by the notice include training and capacity building for prosecutors, judges, and defense counsel on handling complex terrorism, atrocity, and war crimes cases; improving case management and court administration systems to reduce delays; and strengthening coordination and workflow among investigators, prosecutors, courts, and defense services. Because the notice calls out administrative and logistical obstacles, a strong project concept would likely address both skills gaps (technical legal competencies) and system gaps (court processes, documentation methods, scheduling, records management, and interagency coordination). The cooperative agreement structure also signals that INL expects substantial involvement during implementation, with the recipient working closely with the agency rather than operating entirely independently.

Eligibility is open to U.S.-based non-profit NGOs, U.S.-based educational institutions that qualify under relevant U.S. tax provisions (including 501(c)(3) status for applicable entities), and foreign-based non-profit NGOs. The notice also includes eligible applicant categories such as public and state-controlled institutions of higher education and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education). Beyond basic eligibility, applicants must demonstrate experience across multiple projects working with foreign government institutions on the handling and prosecution of terrorism, atrocity, and war crimes cases, which sets a relatively high bar and suggests the program is intended for organizations with a proven track record in complex international justice sector assistance.

The funding details indicate this is a discretionary award under CFDA 19.703 in the Law, Justice and Legal Services category, with an award ceiling of $1,000,000 and an expectation of one award. The opportunity was created on May 3, 2024, with an original closing date of June 28, 2024. Overall, the grant is designed as a targeted intervention to help Nigeria reduce its terrorism case backlog and improve the quality, speed, and integrity of legal proceedings for some of the country's most serious criminal cases.

• The Bureau of International Narcotics-Law Enforcement in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Building Capacity of Nigerian Judicial Sector to Prosecute Terrorism and Atrocity Cases" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 19.703.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-05-03.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-06-28. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,000,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for INL24CA0053 AMENIGERIA ATROCPROSEC 05032

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