President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria has urged other African leaders to establish a regional counter-terrorism centre that will serve as a hub for intelligence sharing, operational coordination, and capacity building throughout the continent.
This was disclosed in a statement by Special Adviser to the President, Ajuri Ngelale, on Monday, where he stressed the need for a detailed approach to eliminating terrorism, not only through military might but by addressing the extreme factors, including poverty, inequality, and social injustice.
The President further stressed the importance of cutting off the financial lifelines that fuel terrorist activities, such as ransom payments and illegal mining operations.
He said, “Billions upon billions of dollars that legitimate governments should be using to sculpt better societies by providing education, healthcare, and food for its people now go to pay for weapons and response to mayhem.”
He further called for the international community’s support in addressing these issues.
“The international community has both the moral and legal obligation to help in this cause because it is external finance, not African money, that fuels these illegal operations. We shall be knocking on the door of the international community to answer this call for justice, peace, and fair play.”
Emphasising the urgency of establishing a fully operational Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre, the President stated, “Key to our collective efforts against terrorism is the urgent need for a fully operational Regional Counter-Terrorism Centre.”
He added that existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit in Abuja, the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism in Algiers, and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa in Addis Ababa, must also be strengthened.
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