Vivian Saleh Kpakol Series 3: Trauma-Informed Governance in Nigeria and the Reparation of Victims’ Dignity
In my last two articles, I have written extensively on victimization, public policy, and the restoration of human dignity, emphasizing the need for policies that not only deliver legal redress but also address the psychological and social harm experienced by victims. Despite these efforts, it has become increasingly clear that more awareness is needed, and that the voices of affected individuals must be amplified — particularly those of kidnapping victims, whose numbers have escalated sharply in Nigeria in recent years. This essay argues that without trauma-informed governance, efforts to restore victims’ dignity remain incomplete. It explores how Nigerian institutions can integrate trauma-informed practices to provide holistic support and draws on comparative lessons from other countries to highlight best practices and feasible interventions.
Theoretical Foundations: Trauma, Dignity, and Governance
Trauma theory posits that victimization is rarely a discrete event; rather, it often produces lasting psychological, emotional, and social consequences. Individuals subjected to abduction, sexual violence, or state-inflicted abuse may experience post-traumatic stress, social withdrawal, shame, and identity disruption. When institutional responses fail to consider these dimensions, victims may suffer secondary victimization, compounding harm and undermining their dignity. Concurrently, dignity theory, as articulated by Margalit (1996) and Nordenfelt (2004), emphasizes that human beings are owed not only freedom from degrading treatment but also positive affirmation of their inherent worth. Within the African human rights tradition, dignity is central: it underpins the moral and legal obligations of governance toward citizens, particularly victims of crime and violence (Attah, 2025).
Victimization Realities in Nigeria
Nigeria presents a complex and intersecting landscape of victimization. First, kidnapping for ransom has surged dramatically, emerging as one of the country’s most pervasive security challenges. The National Bureau of Statistics (2024) estimated 2,235,954 kidnapping incidents between May 2023 and April 2024, with 65% of affected households paying ransom, often at severe economic cost. Many victims endure not only the immediate trauma of abduction but also the long-term consequences of stigma, social exclusion, disrupted livelihoods, and psychological distress (Chiedu, Nwannekanma, & Okoro, 2024). In rural regions and school communities, the threat of abduction is compounded by slow institutional response and inadequate victim-support systems.
Second, insurgency-related sexual violence perpetrated by groups such as Boko Haram represents another severe dimension of victimization. Abducted women and girls report multiple forms of abuse, including forced marriage, sexual slavery, and coerced pregnancy. Upon return, survivors often face societal stigma, arbitrary detention, or neglect, further eroding their dignity (Attah, 2025). Reintegration programs remain inconsistent, and psychosocial support is sporadic, leaving many survivors marginalized despite the international attention their plight has received.
Third, state-perpetrated violence, particularly under the former Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), demonstrates that victims’ dignity can be undermined by those entrusted with public protection. Extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, and harassment inflicted on civilians illustrate how institutional failures can exacerbate trauma and compromise social trust. Even after SARS was officially disbanded, many victims continue to face inadequate reparation, little acknowledgment, and insufficient psychosocial or legal support (Amnesty International Nigeria, 2024).
Collectively, these examples illustrate that Nigerian victims experience layered harm — physical, psychological, social, and moral. While laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 provide legal protection, they often fail to address the broader psychosocial and dignity-related needs of victims. Trauma-informed governance seeks to fill this gap, transforming policy from reactive measures to proactive, holistic interventions that restore dignity, prevent secondary victimization, and empower survivors.
Global Comparative Insights
Policy Recommendations for Nigeria
In light of these realities, several strategies could enhance trauma-informed governance and restore victims’ dignity in Nigeria.
1. Institutionalize trauma-informed training: All agencies interacting with victims— law enforcement, judiciary, social services, and healthcare should receive specialized training on trauma recognition, victim-centered communication, safe engagement, and the avoidance of retraumatization.
2. Establish comprehensive victim-support frameworks: Holistic programs should integrate legal redress, psychosocial counseling, peer-support networks, livelihood reintegration, and safe spaces for disclosure. Survivors of kidnapping, insurgency, and police brutality should receive coordinated support that addresses both immediate and long-term recovery needs.
3. Legislate dignity-restorative obligations: Nigeria should enact laws explicitly mandating the restoration of victims’ dignity, including state-funded psychosocial support, mechanisms for victim participation in justice processes, reparations, and guarantees of non-repetition. Current legislation, such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, lacks explicit dignity-oriented mandates.
4. Implement accountability and monitoring mechanisms: Data collection and monitoring should extend beyond basic crime statistics to include victim satisfaction, psychosocial outcomes, reintegration success, and incidence of secondary victimization. Independent oversight bodies could audit institutional performance and publish recommendations.
5. Promote social recognition and anti-stigma initiatives: Public awareness campaigns, survivor storytelling, and community education programs can combat stigma, affirm victims’ social worth, and facilitate reintegration. Recognition of victims as resilient actors rather than passive subjects is central to dignity restoration.
6. Prioritize kidnapping victims as a national concern: Given the frequency and scale of abduction incidents, kidnapping should be addressed not solely as a security challenge but as a dignity and victim recovery issue. Dedicated recovery units, trauma counseling, debt relief for ransom-paying families, and community reintegration programs are essential components of a trauma-informed response.
Conclusion
Amnesty International Nigeria. (2024, October 20). Rampant police atrocities continue 4-years after #EndSARS protests. Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org.ng/2024/10/20/nigeria-rampant-police-atrocities-continue-4-years-after-endsars-protests
Attah, C. E. (2025). Rejection, re-victimization and human rights violations of female survivors of Boko Haram’s sexual violence in Nigeria: Legal analysis. Journal of African Law. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-african-law/article/rejection-revictimization-and-human-rights-violations-of-female-survivors-of-boko-harams-sexual-violence-in-nigeria-legal-analysis/43AF8267D8BCBDA6C95FE8F23DC6D174
Chiedu, O., Nwannekanma, B., & Okoro, S. (2024, December 18). Nigerians pay N2.2 trn ransom in 51.9 m crime cases, resort to self-help. The Guardian Nigeria. https://guardian.ng/news/nigerians-pay-n2-2tr-ransom-in-51-9m-crime-cases-resort-to-self-help
National Bureau of Statistics. (2024). Crime Experience and Security Perception Survey (CESPS 2024). Abuja, Nigeria. https://nannews.ng/2024/12/18/kidnapping-incidence-estimated-at-2-2m-cases-nbs
Nwakanma, C. (2025, June 27). More Nigerians were kidnapped in one year than the populations of 15 countries. BusinessDay NG. https://businessday.ng/opinion/article/social-listening-27-june-2025-more-nigerians-were-kidnapped-in-one-year-than-the-populations-of-15-countries
Margalit, A. (1996). The Decent Society. Harvard University Press.
Nordenfelt, L. (2004). The Varieties of Dignity. Springer.
About the Author
Vivian Saleh Kpakol is a passionate advocate for social justice, with a strong focus on the rights and well-being of women and children — groups that are often overlooked or marginalized in policymaking. Her work is rooted in the belief that public policies must be intentionally designed to restore dignity, protect rights, and create equitable opportunities for vulnerable populations. She is particularly interested in how gender-sensitive and child-focused policies can transform lives, close inequality gaps, and drive sustainable development in Nigeria and beyond.
Vivian holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from Benson Idahosa University, Nigeria, and a Master’s degree in International Relations from Middlesex University, Dubai.
This article, “Vivian Saleh Kpakol Series 3: Trauma-Informed Governance in Nigeria and the Reparation of Victims’ Dignity”, is the third in a series aimed at challenging systemic injustices and offering a roadmap for more inclusive governance.
E-mail: Kviviansalehh@yahoo.com
“Vivian Saleh Kpakol Series 3: Trauma-Informed Governance in Nigeria and the Reparation of Victims’ Dignity” is a Guest Post on PositiveNaija.
