President Bola Tinubu has reiterated the call for establishing a regional standby force to combat terrorism swiftly and effectively. Speaking at the opening ceremony of the African Counter-Terrorism Summit in Abuja on Monday, President Tinubu emphasized the need for a rapid deployment tool to tackle existing and potential threats.
In his address, President Tinubu highlighted the significant role such a force would play in deterring large-scale weapon smuggling, threatening regional security. He stressed that terrorism jeopardizes the safety of farmers, children, and businesswomen, disrupting societal order and governance.
Addressing the summit, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, disclosed that Nigeria had resumed the prosecution of all Boko Haram detainees in Kainji. He further stated that Nigeria is actively gathering intelligence on the activities of Boko Haram and the Islamic State–West Africa Province (ISWAP) to confront these groups decisively.
Ribadu emphasized Nigeria’s commitment to the UN Counter-terrorism agreement, stating that Africa faces threats from various terrorist groups exploiting local vulnerabilities. He outlined Nigeria’s comprehensive approach to counter evolving security threats, including using digital assets.
Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General for Counter-Terrorism at the United Nations Office, underscored the importance of African collaboration in providing homegrown solutions to counterterrorism. He emphasized that the success of the United Nations relies on such collaboration.
The two-day high-level summit, attended by President Bola Tinubu, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, and President Faure Gnassingbé of Togo, aims to generate solutions to the complex security threats facing Nigeria and Africa as a whole. Representatives from Chad and Niger, along with over four hundred delegates from across African countries, are also in attendance.
Source: Channels TV