Nigeria Unveils Counter-terrorism Strategy At The United Nations

In a bid to further secure international support for its anti-insurgency campaign, Nigeria is set to unveil its counter-terrorism strategy at the ongoing 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly Meeting (UNGA) in New York.

The Nigerian mission to the United Nations (UN) working in liaison with Abuja was putting finishing touches to one of the country’s main presentations on terrorism to the global body at the weekend.

Responding to The Guardian’s enquiry on Nigeria’s general concerns in this regard, high level officials at the Nigeria House disclosed that the Federal Government was poised to ask the UN to support its strategy as a more enduring instrument of curbing terrorism and most importantly, “stamping it out from its roots.”

In presenting its policy dialogue on terrorism at the UN, the Federal Government would also now be pushing the passage of a Security Council Resolution aimed at “compelling both Nigeria and her neighbours to work together in stamping violent extremism and terrorism in the region.”

By the close of last week, four commanders of the various UN peace keeping forces worldwide took turns to brief the 7, 275th Security Council Meeting allowing the 15-member body to subsequently discuss the issues raised on the prevailing circumstances in their coverage areas.

Nigeria’s counter-terrorism strategy seeks to among other:

• Stem the tide of radicalization and reduce the incidence of violent activities;

• Change the behaviour of violent extremists and counter the narratives of extremist groups; and

• Promote core national values and reintegration.

Today’s policy dialogue on Nigeria’s multidimensional approach to tackling conflict is expected to feature a presentation by the National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki at the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) chamber, UN headquarters.

By the reckoning of its formulators, Nigeria’s approach to countering violent extremism is unique because its.tenets are not limited only to Islamic terrorist formations and tendencies but “cover all extremist grounds.”

In its draft form, Nigeria’s approach is seen as exceptional and touted to be “found worthy of emulation by other nations hence the policy is being brought here for the necessary deepening.”

Meanwhile, to strategize on more proactive ways to tackle Boko Haram, Nigeria, Cameroun, Niger and Benin Republic will hold a one-day ministerial meeting of member states under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin Republic on Security today.

The Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence of Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic will be in attendance.
The meeting, which is aimed at agreeing on the adoption of a draft resolution by the African Union (AU) and the United Nation (UN) Security Council for the establishment of an appropriate legal framework for cross-border military operations against Boko Haram insurgency in the region, will also review the current security situation arising from the activities of the terror group across common borders.

The Abuja conference, according to a statement made available by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sunday, is amfollow-up to the extra-ordinary summit of Lake Chad Basin Commission of Member States and Benin Republic that was attended by President Goodluck Jonathan in Niamey on October 7, 2014.

A similar security meeting on how to combat Boko Haram insurgency was held in Abuja on September 3,.

Source:
Guardian Newspaper