Amina Mohammed, the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, proposed that Africa should focus on rebuilding its social contract with its citizens and improve governance to address the root causes of terrorism on the continent. She emphasized the importance of supporting those affected by terrorism, particularly women, girls, and youth,Daily Trust reports.
At the African High-level Meeting on Counter-Terrorism in Abuja, President Bola Tinubu advocated for the establishment of a regional counter-terrorism center to enhance intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building across African states. He stressed the need for a holistic approach to combat terrorism by addressing underlying issues such as marginalization, poverty, inequality, and social injustice.
President Tinubu also highlighted the connection between terrorism and activities like ransom and illegal mining, emphasizing the role of the international community in addressing the financing of terrorism. He called for urgent action to strengthen existing counter-terrorism structures and underscored Nigeria’s commitment to enhancing arms control measures and border security.
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In his remarks, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser, identified various drivers of terrorism in Africa, including organized crime, foreign terrorist financing, poverty, and prolonged conflicts. He outlined Nigeria’s efforts to address these drivers through enhanced intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and judicial measures.
Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), praised Nigeria for its leadership in counter-terrorism efforts in Africa and for hosting the meeting.
