Posts in category: News

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) and the National Orientation Agency (NOA), has held a one-day town hall meeting in Gombe, Gombe State, as part of the ongoing efforts to discuss and share information about Disengagement, Disassociation, Reintegration and Reconciliation (DDRR) programming and Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) in Nigeria.

The event which took place on Tuesday 31st August, 2021 formed part of the Federal Government’s initiative for Reintegration and Reconciliation in the Northeast Nigeria, supported by multiple partners including the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) noted that the meeting provided an opportunity for  local communities to share their concerns regarding the return and reintegration of former low-risk associates of Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs) while giving the Government an opportunity to address these concerns and promote the importance of reintegration as part of the DDRR programme.

ONSA recognised the critical role communities and local leaders play in the DDRR process and thanked participants for sharing their perspectives. ONSA encouraged their continued support for reintegration as part of the Government’s efforts to address insecurity in Northeast communities.

Participants at the event included the representatives of ONSA, IOM, Gombe State Government, Religious and Traditional leaders, Civil Societies and other stakeholders.

As part of measures to neutralise activities of terrorists and insurgents in the country, the National Security Adviser, (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (rtd) has said Nigeria would continue to work with the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT) and the international community on efforts to combating terrorism and preventing violent extremism as well as in rendering humanitarian support for victims of terrorism in the country.
Monguno, at a meeting with Under Secretary-General (USG) of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, on the margins of the ongoing UN General Debate of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, United States sought the assurance of the international community in supporting the continued and sustained efforts of the Nigerian government in the fight against terrorism and insurgency.
The meeting was a follow-up of an earlier one at the United Nations Counter Terrorism Week held at the UN Headquarters in June, 2021. It highlighted the prevailing humanitarian challenges caused by the over a decade of combating terrorism with millions of displaced persons as well as other militating factors including proliferation of small arms and light weapons, irregular migration as well as abuse of illicit drugs.
NSA called for increased regional cooperation and harmonisation of all counter terrorism legislations, policies and strategies, especially with Chad, Niger and Cameroon.
Part of the resolutions from the meeting was the need for further collaborations in the areas of improving aviation and maritime security, strengthening border security management, combating terrorism financing as well as improving the coordination of Civil Society Organisations’ engagements in preventing and countering violent extremism in Nigeria.
Earlier, the NSA at a similar meeting with the Assistant Secretary-General (ASG)/Executive Director of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate (CTED), Michèle Coninsx, exchanged views on current terrorist threats and challenges in Nigeria, Lake Chad Basin and the Sahel and how to address them.
The NSA expressed Nigeria’s progress in combating terrorism and violent extremism, supporting victims of terrorism, deradicalization and prosecution of suspected terrorists as well as the need for CTED sustained support to Nigeria particularly in humanitarian assistance to victims and capacity building in criminal justice responses to terrorism.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the Government of the Netherland is holding a 3-day Masterclass themed: ‘Strengthening Nigeria’s Implementation of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism,‘ in Abuja.

The workshop which drew participants from various strata of the society commenced on Wednesday 20th October, 2021 and is expected to close on Friday 22nd October, 2021.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) expressed the commitment of the Federal Government to strengthen its collaboration with critical partners worldwide towards addressing the menace of terrorism and violent extremism in the country.

Monguno who was represented by the Coordinator, Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Rear Admiral YEM Musa, noted that the training was designed to further stimulate the existing collective and collaborative efforts of the Government of Nigeria and partners towards ensuring peace and stability in the country.

“This workshop is borne of the harrowing experience caused by the non-state armed groups who have continued to unleash terror, killing innocent citizens, as well as the untoward activities of these insurgents and the terrorists group particularly in the North East of the country which have to a very large extent, debilitated economic activities in the country and led to the displacement of people and communities,” he said.

According to him, “It is not in doubt that the take-away from previous Masterclasses organised for Senior Officials of the Government of Nigeria and State Governments in collaboration with the Government of Netherlands have had huge impact on our national efforts to addressing and combating violent extremism at different levels in the country. In fact, the calibre of senior officers of government that participated in these past episodes of this Master Class are much better informed in the implementing the Policy Frame Work and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE).”

The NSA added that as a nation which has experienced challenges in combating terrorism and other forms of extreme violence and their devastating effects, Nigeria has realised that Kinetic approach alone cannot adequately eradicate the threat, therefore, the Government has also adopted a non-kinetic approach by developing a Policy Framework and National Action Plan for PCVE.

The Policy Framework, he stressed, recognises the integrated roles of government agencies with the larger society as critical by adopting a “Whole-of-Government” and a “Whole-of-Society approach.”

He reiterated that the workshop was not only well-timed but also of a very consequential and momentous impact on Nigeria owing to the recent development in the country where repentant insurgents are laying down their arms in large numbers and coming out from the hoods in prodigious numbers too. “It is therefore, opportunistic for all participants at this occasion to take advantage and leverage on the exchanges that would take place in these few days to further help in addressing the issue of terrorism in the country,” he stated.

Monguno expressed the Federal Government’s appreciation to the Delegation and the Government of Netherlands for their unalloyed and unwavering support for Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.

In his remarks, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands to Nigeria, Harry Van Dijk noted that Security was very strategic and critical for national development. He therefore pledged the continued support of his country for Nigeria to overcome the challenges of insecurity in the country.

Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in Collaboration with the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) and ActionAid Nigeria has held a two-day National Conference on the localisation of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism from 18-19 November, 2021 in Abuja.

Also, the knowledge-based  gathering provided opportunity for actors to come up with recommendations that are believed to fast-track the development of State and Local level Action Plans on PCVE. 
Participants at the event who promised to leverage on the experiences gained to scale-up interventions on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in their domains were drawn from critical stakeholders from the Northeast, Northwest, North Central, Traditional leaders, Faith-based organisations, Civil Society Organisations among others.

The event with the theme, ‘Scaling up by tricking down -The localisation of the PCVE Policy Framework and National Action Plan’ brought a range of actors involved in the  Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) space in Nigeria and also enabled them to share experiences, approaches, and challenges as well as discussed the potential for replication in different contexts.  

The overall objectives of the event were to provide a platform for multi-stakeholder learning and the development of recommendations, using the experience of a range of national, state-level and civil society practitioners and operationationalising the PCVE policy framework in Nigeria at state and local levels, as well as facilitating development of localised action plans.

The workshop enabled various stakeholders to appraise the implementation of the National Action Plan since coming into being in August, 2017.

As part of measures to review Human Rights Sensitive training manual on Prevention of Violent Extremism, as well as strengthen capacity of law enforcement and security providers in respecting human rights, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized a three-day Training of Trainers Workshop on the role of Human Rights Law and Practice in the Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) by security providers.  

Since the launching of the Policy Framework and National and Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism in Nigeria by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2017, the Office of the National Security Adviser as required by the Terrorism Prevention Act 2013, has worked with partners to provide capacity building in responding to the threat of terrorism and violent extremism. The Training Manual on Human Rights which formed the basis of the Training-of Trainers workshop is in consonance with component two (2) of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism which seeks to Strengthen Access to Justice, Rule of Law and Human Rights. 

The three-day workshop took place in Kaduna from 9-11 November, 2020 with thirty seven (37) participants from various training institutions of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. Others include representatives from National Human Rights Commission and the Counter Terrorism Centre- Office of the National Security Adviser, as well as some  security correspondents of selected media organizations. 

The Special Adviser on Strategic Communication, Barr. Zakari Mijinyawa, who represented ONSA stated that the Office has continued to implement the National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism to  strengthen capacity of various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). It was disclosed that the training workshop was conducted to further build capacity of law enforcement and security officials in tandem with pillar one  (1) of the PCVE Action Plan. Security Operatives were encouraged to always integrate Strategic Communications into their activities, as a first order capability.

In his remarks, an Assistant Director, Mr. Kabiru Aliyu, who represented the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) noted that the training workshop was a strategic effort by government to implement the whole of Government and whole of Society approach to counter violent extremism in the country, which forms the policy thrust of the National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism. The Assistant Director  urged participants to always strike a balance between national security imperative and the protection of human rights in line with Nigeria, regional and international right treaty obligations.  

The three-day Training of TrainersWorkshop covered different aspects of Human Rights including Human Rights and Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Crime Investigation; Human Rights and the Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Arrest and Detention; Human Rights and the Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Use of Force and Firearms in Law Enforcement; Human Rights, Women’s Right and the Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Law Enforcement; Human Rights and the Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in the Treatment of Juveniles; Human Rights and the Prevention of Violent Extremism (PVE) in Investigating Police Violations and Overview of Violent Extremism and the Prevention.

At the end of the training programme, participants concluded that human rights observance during security operations will enhance public confidence in security providers and foster community cooperation. It was also agreed that combination of law enforcement and community policing approach would yield better results in preventing violent extremism.  

Nigeria and the United States of America on Tuesday 10 November 2020, co-hosted a virtual meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. The Coordinators of the National Counter Terrorism of the two (2) countries co-chaired the meeting, which was attended by delegates from the 82-member global coalition drawn from Africa, America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East. The Africa Union , European Union ECOWAS and G5 Sahel were also represented among other international and regional organizations.

The Nigeria delegation led by the National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (retired), represented by the Coordinator of the Nigeria Counter Terrorism Centre, Rear Admiral Yaminu E.M. Musa expressed Nigeria’s commitment to the global coalition against ISIS and other terrorist groups in the world. The Coordinator noted that the challenges of global terrorism has negatively impacted virtually every facet of human endeavor, including the economy, the polity, and the lives and livelihoods of people as apparent in the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and parts of the North-eastern Nigeria.  

Also speaking during the opening session, Coordinator for Counterterrorism Ambassador Nathan A. Sales, who is also  designated as Special Envoy for the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, outlined the Coalition’s increasing focus on defeating ISIS’s global branches and affiliates.  Ambassador Sales expressed his appreciation to the Nigerian delegation, for co-hosting the event. 

The meeting deliberated on key issues including sessions on understanding and countering the ISIS threat. The session, moderated by U.S. Special Envoy for the Sahel Ambassador J. Peter Pham had panelists from Global Coalition members Cameroon, Chad, Guinea, Niger, and co-host Nigeria providing key perspectives on evolution of ISIS affiliates and their troubling activities in West Africa. The panelists also provided useful ways the Global Coalition could enhance efforts to curb the expanding influence of ISIS in the West Africa and the Sahel. Discussions also centered on lessons learned from the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria and reviewing of potential lines of efforts, including the use of battlefield evidence and border security measures and how these lessons and lines of efforts could be applied in West Africa and the Sahel.

Nigeria’s  roles in the fight against terrorism in the sub region was applauded during the virtual meeting. Particularly, the non-kinetic efforts of the country in addressing drivers of violent extremism which has led to gradual return of normalcy in the affected states. The leading role of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari towards defeating terrorism in West Africa was equally commended.

The meeting noted that ISIS was undermining state authorities and peoples’ means of livelihood across the globe, particularly in Africa where more affiliates were springing up.  It was stressed that terrorists across the globe exploit some drivers, including economic imbalance and marginalization among other local grievances to penetrate the local population for radicalization and recruitment. The meeting called for more measures to counter radicalization, recruitment of gullible individuals and concerted global efforts to defeat ISIS.

At end of the meeting, the co-host, Nigeria and USA as well as the 82-member global coalition reaffirmed full commitment to defeating ISIS and other terror groups including ISWAP and Boko Haram in Nigeria. Nigeria also expressed her readiness to seek for more support and partnership within the activities and mandate of the Global Coalition against ISIS to enhance its ongoing operations against terrorism in the NE and efforts in preventing and countering violent extremism in the country. 

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is putting measures in place to activate Community- Based Platforms for Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism across the country. 

This was disclosed on Thursday 19 March, 2020 in Abuja by representative of the National Security Adviser, Mrs Aisha Garba who is the Head of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the Counter Terrorism Centre, during a validation meeting of the study on Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and selected states in Nigeria. The validation demonstrated the depth of commitment by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to addressing the threat of violent extremism in the country. 

The Community-Based Platforms for PCVE is a priority identified by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). It will involve integration of Strategic Communication into PCVE through advocacy and dialogue across the states to prevent violent extremism through partnership with the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. 

The is part of efforts towards the implementation of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism launched in 2017 by President Muhammadu Buhari. The project will further deepen the ongoing efforts at engaging communities and building resilience across the country. 

The Nigerian Government has initiated strategies to regulate criminal elements including terrorists from accessing chemical substances that could be used for explosive devices.

This was disclosed at a five-day conference on National Chemical Security in Abuja with the theme: ‘Towards a Secured Importation, Distribution, Storage and Use of Chemicals in Nigeria’.

The National Security Adviser (NSA) Major General, Babagana Monguno (Rtd.), who was represented by the Coordinator Counter Terrorism Centre, ONSA, Rear Admiral, YEM Musa, said the increasing spate of attacks by terrorists in the region is linked to the use of hard drugs.

The Coordinator stated that “in response to this ugly phenomenon, we have extended our counter IED efforts beyond control of explosives and precursor materials to include the human aspect of the threat, which is the motivational factor.

“We have identified that most of these violent crimes, such as person-borne IEDs, are perpetrated under the influence of drugs.’’ He added that to curtail the surge in drug-related violent extremism and others, “the Centre had included certain drugs often abused and their various precursors as chemicals of concerns.”

CCTC further said that those drugs required strict control measures for their importation, manufacture, distribution, storage and usage. He revealed that Nigeria has included counter IED initiatives in its National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST).

The Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, represented by Rear Admiral A B Adamu, assured Nigerians of the role of the Navy to checkmate the importation of harmful chemicals to the country.

In her remarks, the Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said the time has come for the Federal Government to declare emergency in the drug and chemical sectors of the country’s economy in view of its porous borders.

Also, Mr. David Centofante of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) emphasized the need for collective effort to control the use of chemicals. He added that such effort was necessary to prevent such substances from getting into the hands of criminal elements and terrorists.

As part of measures to combat chemical abuse, the Federal Government through the Office of the National Security Adviser has issued a communique where it was said that operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and control be deployed in land borders, seaports and airports.

The communique which was issued on Friday 16 March 2018, after a Chemical Security Training Conference in Abuja, stated that such measure was to check the increasing smuggling of chemical weapons, harmful drugs and substances into the country by criminal elements.

The conference was organised by the Counter Terrorism Centre at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in collaboration with the Chemical Security Programme (CSP).

The Communique revealed that it was also agreed that officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigeria Immigration Service must be trained on recognising explosives, accessories, drugs, narcotics, fertilisers and other chemicals of concerns.

The communique issued at the end of the training conference partly read “Considering the increase in cases of smuggling of harmful drugs, narcotics and other chemicals of concerns into Nigeria, it is agreed that NAFDAC and NDLEA should be deployed at the airports, seaports and other land ports in Nigeria, to work with other border agencies in chemical anti-smuggling enforcement.

“Conscious of the need to enhance knowledge in identification of drugs, narcotics, chemicals, explosives and fertilizers on the part of the border agencies, it was agreed that NCS, NIS, AVSEC and NPA personnel deployed at all land, sea and air border posts should be given awareness on explosives, accessories, drugs, narcotics, fertilizers and other chemicals of concerns.”

Speaking at the closing of the training conference, The National Security Adviser (NSA) Major General, Babagana Monguno (Rtd.), who was represented by the Coordinator Counter Terrorism Centre, ONSA, Rear Admiral, YEM Musa, said the detection of drugs and chemical weapons could only be done by well-trained and motivated personnel from the security and relevant regulatory agencies.

The NSA further explained that to defeat the Improved Explosive Device networks of criminal elements and insurgents, the acquisition process and other critical phases needed to be effectively disrupted.

As part of measures to intensify effort in the fight against terrorism through the Whole-of-Society Approach, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in partnership with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) recently convened a three-day quarterly meeting and training workshop of National Counter Terrorism Strategy (NACTEST) Secure Pillar to strengthen capacity of the members of National Working Group.

In his keynote address at the event, the National Security Adviser (NSA) Major General Babagana Monguno (Rtd), urged Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to establish desks to drive NACTEST implementation.

The National Security Adviser, who was represented by Brigadier General Emmanuel Ndagi, explained that the NACTEST document which was launched in 2016 by President Muhammadu Buhar i(GCFR), recognised MDAs, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Non-Governmental Organisation (NGOs) and other critical stakeholders as its driving force.

He commended NIMASA for partnering with ONSA to convene the workshop as well as the Agency’s contribution towards the fight against terrorism and general insecurity especially in the maritime domain within the country. He furthermore, called on other MDAs to emulate NIMASA by taking practical steps towards implementation of the NACTEST Document in their respective Agencies.

Meanwhile, the Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, represented by Mr. Ali Ndabawa said every effort in the fight against terrorism was required for the overall success of the counter terrorism strategy. He called for collaboration and synergy amongst security agencies as a panacea to defeat terrorism in Nigeria.

The Coordinator, Counter Terrorism Centre (CCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser, Commodore YEM Musa, reaffirmed ONSA’s unflinching support towards all initiatives aimed at combating terrorism and violent extremism in the country.

He appealed to participants at the workshop to put into practice what they have learnt during a three-day training workshop in order to advance the security in the country.