By Ayodele Oni
President Bola Tinubu has said that it is time for African countries to identify the root causes of terrorism in the continent.
He has therefore called for the establishment of a regional counter-terrorism centre that will serve as a hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building throughout Africa.
The president, who spoke at the African High-level meeting on Counter-Terrorism in Abuja on Monday, said Africa must take a comprehensive approach to combating terrorism.
The president identified root causes of terrorism to include poverty, inequality, and social injustice.
Tinubu emphasized that while seeking to address the root causes of terrorism, Africa must also attack the roots that feed this evil branch — ransom and illegal mining — as terrorism evolves and perfects ways to continuously finance, re-equip, and re-supply itself for its sinister mission.
The President added that the African region must strengthen existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU) in Abuja, the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT) in Algiers, and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) in Addis Ababa.
“I am mindful of the funding, legal, and logistical complexities that face the proper establishment of such a force.
“However, with a prudent and clearly defined mandate that accords with the international law and respects national sovereignty, such a force can serve as a rapid deployment mechanism, capable of swiftly responding to major threats and bolstering the security of our region.
“Such a force can stand as a strong deterrent to large scale and protracted terrorist operations and the capture, occupation or disruption of strategic land and resources. We must continue to make careful yet meaningful progress toward this goal.
“Establishing an all-inclusive African Union Ministerial Committee on Counter Terrorism is also a high priority as envisaged in the Declaration of the 16th Extraordinary Summit of the African Union Assembly two years ago in May 2022.
“This would ensure that a forum of high-level government officials meets regularly to assess our counter-terrorism efforts and provide guidance on how to further improve.”
Speaking on the efforts of Nigeria in beating the menace, President Tinubu said the nation’s counter-terrorism capabilities have been enhanced through the enactment of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, establishing the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC).
“We have and will continue to take bold steps forward in safeguarding our nation and the wider region. Dedicated to coordinating and implementing counter-terrorism strategies, the NCTC significantly enhances our capacity to detect, prevent, and respond to terrorist threats.
“The Centre has become a platform; fostering greater collaboration among stakeholders and promoting synergy in our approach to fighting terrorism.
“Similarly, our security forces continue to demonstrate courage and dedication in the fight against terrorism, often at great personal risk. I am grateful to the selfless work and sacrifice of these patriotic men and women. They are the best of the best.
“I must also mention the ongoing need to halt the proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) on the continent. No one state can solve this problem for itself. It requires continuous and concerted action by all of us. We need to reposition our regional organizations and build the capacity of our national institutions to effectively address this element of terrorism and violent extremism.”
In his welcome remarks, National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu stated that terrorism in Africa is driven by a number of factors, including organized crime, foreign terrorist financing and training, poverty, inequality, prolonged conflicts, among others.
He said Nigeria is dealing decisively with all drivers of violent extremism, including economic and social enablers, while enhancing intelligence gathering through enhanced inter-agency collaboration and confidence building with citizens.
He also said Nigeria is strengthening its judiciary to effectively deal with cases of terrorism and has earmarked a fund to boost counter-terrorism efforts.
“We have resumed the prosecution of Boko Haram suspects across the country,” the National Security Adviser said.
In her remarks, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Amina Mohammed suggested that one of the ways to remove the engenderers of terrorism on the continent is for Africa to work to rebuild its social contract with its citizens, and deliver good governance.
“Rebuilding the social contract is necessary for recovery. We must pay attention to women and girls who are greatly impacted by terrorism, including the youth. Providing support and healing for those impacted by terrorism is important,” the UN Deputy Secretary-General said.
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Mr. Vladimir Voronkov commended Nigeria for its leadership in counter-terrorism in Africa and for hosting the meeting.
“Terrorism is a threat to peace and security, particularly in Africa where its impact is mostly felt. The success of UNOCT in Africa hinges on its support for Africa-led programmes and solutions,” the UNOCT Under-Secretary-General said.
