By ZAKAA LAZARUS
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd) OFR, has called on the global community to move beyond short-term humanitarian relief and establish sustained, long-term support systems for victims and survivors of violent extremism.
This was contained in a statement signed by Leah Katung-Babatunde, Special Assistant (Media) to the Honourable Minister of Defence.
General Musa made the call at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism held on Tuesday at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Addressing international delegates at the meeting co-convened by Spain and Iraq, General Musa emphasised the disproportionate impact of terrorism on the African continent, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for approximately 60 per cent of global terrorism deaths in 2025.
“Behind these figures are families displaced, livelihoods destroyed, communities fractured, and lives permanently changed,” General Musa said. “Our task now is to ensure that the identified priorities and needs of victims, as well as lessons and good practices, are translated into sustained action.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s domestic counter-terrorism and justice efforts, the Defence Minister revealed that Nigeria has secured 865 terrorism-related convictions in 2026 alone, demonstrating a commitment to accountability.
He reaffirmed that Nigeria continues to prioritise the liberation of captives alongside comprehensive post-rescue support, including medical care, psychosocial rehabilitation, economic aid and community reintegration.
Drawing from Nigeria’s operational experience, General Musa presented a three-point framework to strengthen international cooperation to include Enhanced Peer Learning, Inclusive Partnerships and Targeted UN Support.
On Enhanced Peer Learning, the Minister advocated establishing institutional mechanisms for member states to share operational models, referral systems and lessons learned, including honest assessments of approaches that failed to produce intended outcomes.
He explained that building direct feedback channels and working partnerships among national authorities, civil society and victims’ associations will ensure meaningful survivor participation in justice and rehabilitation efforts.
He said it is expedient that expanding United Nations technical assistance, capacity-building and resource mobilisation be specifically tailored for countries bearing the heaviest burdens of terrorism.
General Musa commended the United Nations Office initiatives, including the UNOCT Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme, the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN), and Germany’s support in developing the Toolkit for Technology-Enabled Support to Victims of Terrorism.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to share expertise and collaborate internationally, the Minister expressed optimism for the upcoming International Conference on Victims of Terrorism scheduled to take place in Baghdad, Iraq, in the fourth quarter of 2026.
