Nigeria commemorates one year of relentless counter-terrorism endeavors, aimed at curbing the scourge of terrorism, banditry, and violent extremism plaguing the nation.
Spearheaded by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), established on March 21, 2023, under the Terrorism Protection and Prohibition Act (2022), the country has seen a concerted effort to combat these threats head-on.
NCTC, headed by its National Coordinator, Rear Admiral YEM Musain highlighted in a statement its success in counter-terrorism activities noting that it employed a coordinated approach to address various forms of violent extremism.
The statement added that NCTC’s proactive approach in prosecuting terrorism cases and disrupting financial networks has yielded tangible results with over 120,000 former combatants surrendered in the northeast, and territories once held by terrorists have been reclaimed by security forces. Additionally, the successful prosecution of over 360 terrorist suspects has sent a strong message of deterrence.
According to NCTC, Nigeria’s security architecture under Mallam Nuhu Ribadu who was appointed by president Bola Tinubu as the National Security Adviser (NSA), has improved for better as the center boasts of remarkable milestones, including partnerships with global entities like the United Nations Office of Counter Terrorism and the UK Government.
Recently, Nigeria hosted the second edition of the UK-Nigeria Security and Defence Partnership Dialogue, reaffirming commitments to counter-terrorism and violent extremism. While acknowledging remaining challenges, stakeholders remain optimistic about Nigeria’s ability to overcome these obstacles through collaboration, enhanced legal frameworks, and public awareness initiatives.
NTCT’s statement reflected Tinubu’s resolve to prioritize security hence his inaugural visit to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) on June 5, 2023 where he stated, “Security shall be the top priority of our administration because neither prosperity nor justice can prevail amidst insecurity and violence.
Counter terrorism that is not backed by adequate knowledge, coordination, intelligence, and information sharing is not going to be of any service to any nation.” There, he urged security agencies to enhance collaboration and intelligence-sharing to bolster national security.
