The Federal Government of Nigeria has appealed to the United Nations and Development Partners to bolster their assistance in implementing the regional strategy aimed at stabilizing, recovering, and fostering resilience in areas affected by Boko Haram across Nigeria and other countries in the Lake Chad Basin.
Rear Admiral YEM Musa (rtd), the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), made the plea during a side event at the Third United Nations Counter-Terrorism Week (CT Week) being held at the UN Headquarters in New York, United States of America. The CT Week is a biennial gathering that brings together Member States and international partners in counter-terrorism efforts.
The theme of this year’s CT Week is “Addressing Terrorism through Reinvigorated Multilateral and Institutional Cooperation.”
Rear Admiral Musa highlighted the significant challenge faced by the Nigerian government in reintegrating a large number of repentant individuals and low-risk individuals associated with Boko Haram and ISWAP. He stressed the necessity for increased international support to effectively tackle this menace.
“Over the past six years since the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2349, the Nigerian government has undertaken various measures to address the impact of Boko Haram in the Lake Chad Basin. These efforts have guided the 2022 Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, the 2019 National Security Strategy, the 2017 National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism, as well as the 2016 National Counter Terrorism Strategy,” Rear Admiral Musa stated.
While expressing gratitude for the considerable support received from the United Nations and its affiliated organizations in rehabilitating affected areas in Nigeria, Rear Admiral Musa underscored the importance of raising global awareness and garnering increased support to address the inherent challenges and risks associated with reintegrating all categories of returning terrorists.
He particularly expressed concern about the movement of terrorists across sub-Saharan Africa and emphasized the imperative for the UN and Development Partners to enhance their support in implementing the regional strategy for stabilizing, recovering, and fostering resilience in areas affected by Boko Haram within the Lake Chad Basin region