Nigeria’s Soft Approach To Countering Terrorism (2) Mohammed Sambo Dasuki — March 20, 2014 We intend to exit this intervention within two years when the prison service would have developed its administrative, infrastructural and functional capability to run a full-fledged DE radicalisation programme. A while ago through the Defence Headquarters suspects held in detention were categorised and a number were recommended for release. I have since tasked my team to develop a community based programme for them to be released into, that will have all the above listed components of a de- radicalisation program, but additionally focus on community reintegration, skills and employment acquisition. The Second Stream: Here we have moved from a whole of government to a whole of society approach in our counter terrorism thinking. We believe that we can win the war against terror by mobilising our family, cultural, religious and national values. Through fear and violence, extremist groups are bent on changing the way we see and relate with each other and the only way to defeat this is to remain united and confront the threat as one nation under God. The counter radicalisation stream seeks to build community engagement and resilience through building trust, creating awareness and resilience. Government is partnering with faith-based organisations, community-based organisations, NGOs and other stakeholders to deliver counter radicalisation programmes at community levels. It is our expectation that this process will be shaped and delivered by civil society actors especially those who are already intervening in conflict resolution, peace building and inter-faith advocacy. Already the United Nations has agreed to provide targeted capacity building and training over a two year period for NGOs working in Nigeria to build their awareness of CVE programming. We have packaged a series of workshops targeted at policy makers in federal ministries, departments and agencies and will soon push for the assigning of CVE focal points in the MDAs so as to link their primary role to national countering violent extremism priorities. The objective is to link security with development and reduce insecurity. Through this platform relevant agencies will provide support to victims of terrorism. I have put in motion a robust partnership with states and local governments that would over the next 18 months build structures, strategies, partnerships and programmes that are relevant and sensitive to those states. The CVE programme in states and local governments is also designed to build the social fabric of society that has been endangered by violence. These platforms, once functional will create opportunities for conversation amongst our people, create nonviolent conflict resolution mechanisms and make it easier for our youths to find answers to the questions that bother them the most. Working with critical stakeholders I am planning an education summit that looks at the ways that education can be used as a tool to counter violent extremism. Our CVE programme requires that the goal of education must be to develop critical thinking skills and logical reasoning as an essential ingredient to resilience. Youth must be mentored and nurtured through multiple platforms such as sports, arts, music, literature, history, leadership and service. It is through these programmes that youth discover themselves and become imaginative and inquisitive. Skills so critical to an emerging 21st century nation. Schools must re trace their steps and return to being the primary laboratories of peace. A place where children go to learn about diversity, tolerance, and how to commune with those of different faiths and ethnicities. In other words how to be a good Nigerian citizen. We have also paid attention to faith-based scholarship and how it has been hijacked by groups bent on creating an atmosphere of hate and violence. Through the civil society we are providing support to build a critical mass of mainstream voices that preach the right message of religion. The Third Stream: We are building our capacity to communicate our national values better and institutionalising this capability through strategic communication for the military and law enforcement, and public diplomacy for our civilian institutions. This has become necessary because at the heart of terrorism is a deadly communication plan that furthers the aims of the terrorists. Unfortunately, terrorist groups have over time been clearer in communicating what they stand for than government has. Plans have been concluded to institutionalise strategic communication in the training curriculum of the Nigerian Defense Academy. Through this training our armed forces will be able to analyse terrorist messaging, conduct psychological operations, evolve civil military relations and be equipped in media relations through a better appreciation of the requirements of our democracy. I have in the last year supported workshops and seminars that have led to increased awareness of the significance of strategic communication in the fight against terrorism. In partnership with our international development partners we are developing media training workshops for government public relations practitioners and independent media on conflict sensitive reporting and protection of the right to know under our laws. While it is in our national security interest that terrorists do not find unfettered access to free publicity, we respect the media’s freedom to report and that is why I shall be supporting the training of about 200 reporters who report on conflicts. We are concluding plans to institutionalise a civil service training programme within an existing ministry to deliver certificated training on public diplomacy and strategic communication for public servants whose responsibilities include communicating government policies to the public. We believe that we must do a better job at conversing with our publics in Nigeria and abroad. I will take the next few minutes to identify key principles that will guide our strategic communication approach to counter terrorist narratives and encourage all stakeholders to utilise these principles in their effort to counter extremist ideology. Terrorism is un-Islamic: The terrorists twist and pervert the true meaning and spirit of religious text to win support for their evil cause. Our approach emphasises the un-Islamic nature of terrorism by means of sound Islamic knowledge. We will encourage mainstream Islamic scholars to write books, articles and issue ‘Fatwas’ that directly dismantle the ideology of suicide bombing and misconception of jihad Counterterrorism is not against Muslims: We will ensure that the fight against terror is not misconstrued by muslims in Nigeria as a fight against them. The terrorists are an influential minority who live with and claim to be muslims but through their activities bring harm and ridicule to muslims and the religion of Islam. Concerted efforts are being made to isolate the terrorists from the communities in which they find sanctuary. Encourage and empower Muslims to speak out against terror: The ideology of terrorism will be defeated through mainstream muslims in Nigeria. Our approach seeks to enlist and build capacity for counterterrorism cooperation among muslims by exposing the true intent and form of government that the terrorist groups seek to impose. Muslim Christian Relations: The terrorists are desperate to ignite a religious war between Nigerian christians and muslims in order to actualise a war scenario that would aid their operations. We will launch an aggressive interfaith response between christians and muslims to create awareness on terrorism. Our major goal is to unite Nigerian muslims and christians against terrorism. Counterterrorism is Apolitical: Government will build inter-party collaboration for counterterrorism to ensure party affiliations do not hinder stakeholders from contributing to efforts targeted at countering extremism. The Fourth Stream-Based on our understanding of the economic root causes of terrorism and global best practices in addressing them, we are working with the Governors of the six Northeastern states of Nigeria to design an economic revitalisation program targeted toward the states most impacted by terrorism. Working with various stakeholders, we are currently designing a regional economic revitalisation plan. —Being a presentation by Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, National Security Adviser on 18th March 2014 on the Roll Out Of Nigeria’s Soft Approach To Countering Terrorism held in Abuja
Posted on: Thu, 20 Mar 2014 11:21:26 +0000
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