Islamic defence ministers commit to fight against terrorism
‘ Nigeria will surmount security challenges soon’
DEFENCE Ministers of Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition ( IMCTC) have made a bold commitment to boost the war against terrorism.
However, National Coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser ( NCTC- ONSA), Rear Admiral Yaminu Musa ( rtd), is optimistic that Nigeria will surmount her challenges of terrorism and other forms of insecurity, in view of the commitment of President Bola Tinubu and the strength of the ONSA under Nuhu Ribadu.
Since the start of Boko Haram in the North East in 2009, Nigeria has formed a coalition from many fronts to combat the deadly group, which, over time, has expanded its atrocities to other parts of the North. The increasing menace of Islamic State West Africa Province ( ISWAP), Boko Haram and other emerging security threats, such as banditry and kidnapping, has necessitated growing defence bilateral relationship between Nigeria and other countries.
One of such is the IMCTC, formed by Saudi Arabia in December 2015, to bring together countries with common interests to embark on a united fight against terrorism.
Accordingly, it was gathered that a meeting of defence ministers took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to discuss strategy, initiative and future plans to coordinate, as well as support, military operations against terrorism, terrorism financing and ideology.
In the landmark meeting, The Guardian learnt, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, discussed strategies and shared intelligence to dismantle terrorists’ networks and disrupt their operations in Nigeria and the Sahel region.
Sources at the minister’s office disclosed that the assembly focused on strengthening ties and forging a united front to combat the escalating threat of terrorism worldwide effectively.
Matawalle was quoted as saying: “Defence ministers from up to 34 nations convened and discussed a more collaborative approach, recognising that terrorism is not confined by borders and thus requires a multinational response.
“The threat of terrorism continues to evolve, becoming more complex and widespread. It is imperative that we, as a coalition, stand side by side, combining our resources and expertise to protect our nations and maintain global security. It is worthy to reinforce Nigeria’s commitment and the need for a deeper level of partnership in the areas of intelligence sharing, technical support and training to enhance regional and national security.”
Key outcomes of the meeting include enhanced intelligence sharing, joint military training, counter- terrorism financing and humanitarian support coordination.