Musa Na Allah, Sokoto
The National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC), under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), is set to begin implementing a comprehensive radicalization and rehabilitation program in Nigeria’s northwestern states.
Ambassador Mairo Abbas-Musa, Director of the Directorate of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) announced on Thursday at a roundtable event in Sokoto.
The Executive Policy and Peer Learning Roundtable on Natural Resource Management and Pathways Out of Violence and Criminality was organized by International Alert, a non-governmental organization, with support from UK International Development and Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiN).
Ambassador Abbas-Musa emphasized that the NCTC remains committed to a broad array of government initiatives aimed at preventing violent extremism.
These efforts include promoting inclusive advocacy coalitions for sustainable natural resource management and creating pathways for individuals to exit violent extremism.
She also highlighted the NCTC’s crucial role in coordinating national security policies, programs, and initiatives that foster defection and surrender by terrorist and violent extremist individuals.
She explained that after undergoing screening and categorization, individuals identified as high-risk are processed through the criminal justice system, while others receive rehabilitation support at the Mallam Sidi camp in Gombe State.
Dr. Paul Nyulaku-Bemshima, Country Director of International Alert, emphasized the importance of creating exit pathways from violence and criminality, underscoring the significance of sustainable natural resource management as a tool to reduce conflict in Nigeria’s northwest.
He called for effective leadership, robust institutions, and the possibility of restorative justice processes to address natural resource-induced conflicts.
Dr. Nyulaku-Bemshima also noted that the gathering aimed to promote peer learning, develop actionable models for peace, and explore alternative dispute resolution mechanisms that can expedite justice and reconciliation.
He stressed that such alternatives provide faster, more cost-effective, and confidential resolutions compared to traditional court proceedings.
Dr. Ukoha Ukiwo, Team Lead at SPRiNG, spoke on the importance of the training sessions, highlighting how they allow stakeholders—including Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), and traditional, and religious leaders—to engage in productive dialogue aimed at strengthening community resilience.
He called for continued commitment to institutionalizing peace processes and strengthening partnerships with relevant stakeholders to ensure long-term security and development.
The event, which also saw participation from the Secretary to the Benue State Government, Mrs. Deborah Aber, brought together key figures from Katsina, Zamfara, Benue, and other southern Nigerian states.
