By Chimezie Godfrey
The Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) has appointed Dr Benson Olugbuo as its new Nigeria Country Director.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by its Program Officer, Communication and Advocacy, Nigeria, Julius Gaya,
Gaya noted that Dr Olugbuo who is an experienced leader will lead the growing team of the center in the region, adding that he will bring more than a decade of his experience across the nonprofit, academia, and justice reform sectors.
He said,”Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) Appoints Dr. Benson Olugbuo as New Nigeria Country Director ABUJA, NIGERIA (October 4th, 2021) — Experienced leader Dr. Benson Chinedu Olugbuo has joined Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) as the Country Director for Nigeria and will lead our growing team in the region.
“He brings more than a decade of experience across the nonprofit, academia, and justice reform sectors.Dr. Olugbuo holds a PhD in Public Law from the University of Cape Town, South Africa; an LLM in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria, South Africa; and an Honors LLB from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
“He is a solicitor and advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria with experience in human rights and democracy. Prior to CIVIC, Dr. Olugbuo was a Fox International Fellow and Visiting Assistant in Research at the Whitney and Betty MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies at Yale University (2011-2012) and the Anglophone Africa Coordinator for the NGO Coalition for the ICC (2004-2009).
“He led the campaign for the ratification and domestic implementation of the Rome Statute of the ICC in Sub-Saharan Africa and participated in the Review Conference of the ICC in 2010.
“Most recently, Dr. Olugbuo was the Executive Director of the CLEEN Foundation (formerly known as Centre for Law Enforcement Education) from October 2015 to August 2021.
“He has published widely on justice sector reform, international criminal justice, and human rights in Africa.”
The CIVIC Program Officer pointed out that the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) is an international organization dedicated to promoting the protection of civilians in conflict.
According to him, CIVIC envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict.
“Our mission is to support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors to prevent and respond to civilian harm.
“CIVIC was established in 2003 by Marla Ruzicka, a young humanitarian who advocated on behalf of civilians affected by the war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Building on her extraordinary legacy, CIVIC now operates in conflict zones throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and South Asia to advance a higher standard of protection for civilians.
“At CIVIC, we believe that parties to armed conflict have a responsibility to prevent and address civilian harm.
“To accomplish this, we assess the causes of civilian harm in particular conflicts, craft practical solutions to address that harm, and advocate for the adoption of new policies and practices that lead to the improved well-being of civilians caught in conflict.
“Recognizing the power of collaboration, we engage with civilians, governments, militaries, and international and regional institutions to identify and institutionalize strengthened protections for civilians in conflict.Learn more about CIVIC’s Nigeria-specific work here: https://civiliansinconflict.org/our-work/where-we-work/nigeria/,” Gaya stated.
