By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
Coordinator of the Nigeria’s National Counter-Terrorism Centre NCTC, Maj-Gen. Adamu Laka has urged stakeholders to provide the necessary support towards updating extant government Policy Frameworks and National Action Plan, PF-NAP, for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism.
The NCTC boss gave the advice in his keynote address at a one-day Stakeholders’ Consultative Meeting for the Review of the Policy Framework and National Action Plan for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PF – NAP for PCVE) in Nigeria, held at the centre on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to him the current PF-NAP adopted 8 years ago in 2017 has made significant strides in implementing various PCVE programmes and initiatives, but there’s room for improvement, hence the need for all stakeholders to actively contribute new ideas and provide strategic support to ensure its the successful revision.
He said, “Our multi-sectoral, whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach has enabled collaboration between government, civil society, and international partners, leading to impactful interventions at the national, state, and sub-national levels. Despite the progress, challenges remain, and the need for a stronger strategic and adaptive framework that is inclusive has become even more apparent.
“As we take steps towards commencing the review process, I urge all stakeholders—government agencies, international partners, donors, civil society organisations, and community actors—to actively contribute, share insights, and provide strategic support to ensure the successful revision of the PF-NAP for PCVE.
“Your engagement will not only strengthen Nigeria’s response to but also reinforce our commitment to sustainable peace, security, and national stability. Together, let us build a more inclusive, effective, and sustainable framework that will shape Nigeria’s PCVE interventions for years to come.”
Affirming the commitment of the centre to PCVE course, General Laka said,
“The National Counter-Terrorism Center has been at the forefront of coordinating PCVE efforts nationwide, ensuring that interventions are evidence-based, strategic, and aligned with national security objectives.
“Our commitment to this mandate is unwavering, and we are dedicated to strengthening the institutionalisation of PCVE in Nigeria through effective coordination, stakeholder engagement, and knowledge-driven decision-making.”
According to him, looking ahead, the focus is on strengthening the institutionalisation of PCVE through enhanced stakeholder engagement, coordination, and effective change management.
“This aligns with our vision for NCTC-ONSA to become a regional Centre of Excellence in preventing and countering violent extremism. This vision also resonates with our international partners who emphasise sustainable, locally-led, and collaborative approaches to addressing violent extremism,” he said.
He appreciated the role of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, EU, Kingdom of the Netherlands, IOM, UNODC, International Alert, British High Commission, PAVE Network among so many other Partners for taking guidance from NCTC-ONSA and aligning to Nigeria’s objectives to prevent and counter violet extremism.
Making her remarks earlier, the Director of PCVE in the NCTC, Amb. Mairo Musa Abbas, who spoke in the vein, calling all stakeholders to action, outlined the key areas of focus for the PF-NAP review.
The key focus areas include: assessing the implementation of the 2017 PF-NAP; institutionalising success stories; enhancing coordination and stakeholder engagement; strengthening community ownership and local action plans; aligning with regional and international best practices, and developing a strategic communications approach.
To the participants she said, “We urge you to share insights from your respective engagements, provide recommendations, and work collectively to ensure that the revised PF-NAP is comprehensive, practical, and implementable.
“We look forward to robust discussions, meaningful engagements, and actionable outcomes from this meeting. Together, we can strengthen our national efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism and promote peace, security, and development in Nigeria while laying emphasis on preventing and addressing those pull and push factors conducive to terrorism.”