PCVE Summit: Stakeholders Seek Collective Action Against Terrorism, Radicalisation
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s security and peacebuilding sector have called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, civil society, the media, and community actors to effectively counter terrorism, violent extremism, and radicalisation.
The call was made in Abuja during a three-day summit on countering terrorism and radicalisation, jointly convened by the Peace and Violence-Free in Nigeria (PAVE) Network, National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), and the in partnership with the KIR Foundation.
In his keynote address, the National Coordinator of NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Garba Laka , said terrorism and radicalisation had become major security challenges that threaten Nigeria’s unity, stability, and development. He explained that the summit was part of government’s effort to build a whole-of-society approach to counterterrorism.
“No single agency or sector can win this war alone. We need partnerships that cut across government institutions, civil society, academia, faith-based organisations, and the media,” Laka said.
Laka who was represented by Commodore Ahmed Abubakar Madawaki stressed the importance of strategic communication in countering extremist propaganda, adding that the NCTC was working to strengthen synergy with stakeholders, including non-state actors, to achieve sustainable peace.
On his part, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, said tackling terrorism requires addressing its root causes such as poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion. He argued that beyond military operations, Nigeria must embrace peace education, dialogue, and early-warning mechanisms to prevent extremist ideologies from taking root.
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Ochogwu urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, and community influencers to play active roles in promoting tolerance and peaceful coexistence. He also called for more investment in programmes that build resilience in youths and vulnerable groups often targeted by extremist recruiters.
Delivering a detailed presentation, Jaye Gaskia, Chair of the Development and Management Team of the PCVE Knowledge Innovation and Resource Hub (KIRH) and member of the PAVE Network Steering Committee, described violent extremism as a pan-Nigerian and Sahel-wide threat that transcends borders, communities, and regions.
He warned that security responses alone were inadequate given the fluidity and mobility of extremist groups, their control of illicit economies, and their ability to exploit poverty, poor governance, and social injustice.
“Violent extremism is not just a regional problem. It is a pan-Nigeria human security threat that requires a pan-Nigeria response, through a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach,” Gaskia said.
He identified critical issues that must be addressed, including cross-border challenges, the nexus between banditry and insurgency, the crisis of out-of-school children, reform of the Almajiri system, and the need to strengthen local governance and social cohesion.
According to him, the newly launched PCVE Knowledge, Innovation and Resource Hub would serve as a platform for knowledge management, research, innovation, and collaboration between state and non-state actors in preventing and countering violent extremism across Nigeria and the Sahel.
The summit also featured panel discussions where participants examined global and regional trends in radicalisation, the role of technology in extremist recruitment, and innovative strategies for prevention and rehabilitation.
Stakeholders unanimously agreed that Nigeria must adopt a multi-dimensional approach, combining security operations with grassroots engagement, economic empowerment, psychosocial support, and deradicalisation programmes.
By PRNigeria
