The Nigerian Army has emphasized the importance of corporation in the fight against violent extremism, the scourge of which has continued to threaten not just Africa, but world peace and security.
Major General Taiwo Adedoja stated this yesterday during the inauguration of the Countering Violence Extremism Course 5 of 2024 held at the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration, Apapa, Lagos.
Delivering a keynote address at the inauguration of the course sponsored by the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and the Japanese government, General A T .Adedoja said the cause will deliver quality and realistic training for potential peacekeepers.
He added that Countering Violence Extremism Course 5 of 2024 is designed to equip participants with effective strategies and best practices in preventing and countering violent extremism.
” This course will also provide participants with the comprehensive understanding of Violent Extremism, effective counter-strategies and best practices against violent extremism, expertise necessary to foster inclusive and resilient communities through engagements and counter narratives.” Adedoja said.
The Commandant also dissect radicalization as one of the root cause of violence extremism in the society amongst others.
He stated that the collaborative efforts between the MLAILPKC and UNDP in conjunction with the Japanese Government demonstrates the Nigerian Army commitment to maintaining global peace and stability, adding that the asymmetric nature of modern conflicts has necessitated the training of potential peacekeepers, both military and civilians, who would be deployed to conflicts related environments, to understand how to effectively counter violent extremism
Quoting former United Nations Secretary General, Banki-Moon which says that “Extremism and Terrorism are not just security threats, but also undermine human rights and developments, hindering achievement of sustainable peace, stability and prosperity for all’, He said that violent extremism has become a gateway to terrorism, fuelling devastating attacks, destabilizing communities, spreading hatred and claiming countless innocent lives, hence the need to tackle the Scourge, governments, civil society and international organizations must collaborate and coordinate efforts to address the root causes, share information and engage in capacity building.
Adedoja added that understanding that contemporary peacekeeping environments have become highly complex and volatile with different actors necessitated the United Nations, African Union and other Regional bodies to adopt the integrated approach to Peace Support Operations.
He said as a result of the realization of this objectives, the course is designed in line with the United Nations training standards and qualifies RESTRICTED participants to be deployed in integrated peacekeeping operations under the auspices of UN, AU and ECOWAS.
The Commandant stated that the two weeks training will be highly demanding as participants will be challenged to think critically and solve real world problems innovatively. “Your creativity and initiative will be put to test. The knowledge and skills you acquire here will empower you to make a positive difference in the lives of countless individuals and the society at large.”
“This course signals a new era of hope and cooperation in our fight against violent extremism. The scourge of violence extremism has continued to threaten world peace and security. Hence the need for collective efforts to tackle the menace. ”
In a related development, the Guest of honour at the event, Major General Wisdom Etuk in his speech at the inauguration of Countering Violent Extremism Course 5 of 2024, expressed joy at the collaborative effort between the Centre and the Japanese Government through the United Nation Development Programme (UNDP) which led to the approval for the conduct of this Course.
Major General Etuk sad the collaborative effort by MLAILPKC and the Government of Japan through the UNDP in sponsoring Project 2024 which entails 3 courses, the Leadership and National Cohesion, Comprehensive Protection of Civilians and Countering Violent Extremism is worthy of commendation and should be sustained.
He added that the collaborative effort serves as a stark reminder that only through collective and collaborative action can the root causes of violent extremism be addressed.
Etuk said that violent extremism has continue to threatens global peace, security and human dignity. It exploits fear, ignorance and desperation, leaving destruction and heartbreak in its wake. Therefore to defeat this threat, there’s need for concerted efforts through capacity building such as this course.
He added that the UN Secretary-Generals’ Plan of Action to prevent Violent Extremism emphasizes the need for a comprehensive approach that encompasses not only security based counter-terrorism measures, but also systematic preventive steps to address the underlying conditions that drive individuals to radicalize and join violent extremist groups. Hence this course could not have come at better time than now as it resonate with the UN Planned Action for Countering Violent Extremism.
Etuk said the overall objective of the Course is to develop human capacity to understand the complex drivers of violent extremism, develop effective strategies to prevent radicalization and foster international cooperation and collaboration aimed at defeating violent extremism, he therefore urged participants to approach the course with open mind and utmost dedication to learn.
“As you embark on this intellectual curiosity, I challenge you to bring your experiences and expertise to bear and unleash your creativity, passion and critical thinking to drive positive engagement and examine the complexities of countering violence extremism.” He said.
In the opening the UNDP Representative, Mr Williams Tusma, Head, UNDP Lagos office , expressed happiness about UNDP partnering with with MLAILPKC and the Japanese Government in embarking on another round of capacity building course on Countering Violent Extremism.
He said the course aims at strengthening regional and national capabilities on peace and security, adding that the course, which is the fifth in the series to be organized by the partners, seeks to boost socio-economic advancement of ECOWAS region.
He said so far, 402 beneficiaries had gained skills and knowledge from the previous four cohorts of this course and are applying the expertise in their respective places of assignment.
He added that the Counter Violent Extremism Course that was being inaugurate today is a testament to the partners’s collective resolve to address one of the most pressing contemporary challenges facing humanity and draw participants from six ECOWAS countries.
” It is not debatable that violent extremism poses significant threats to the peace, stability and sustainable development of ECOWAS sub-region especially Nigeria. The challenges that the menace constitute to the realization of SDGs and Agenda 2030 in the sub-region are enormous. As such, our response must, equally, be pungent, swift, borderless and unified.” He added.
The UNDP representative said the tripartite partnership of MLAILPKC, Government of Japan and UNDP to counter violent extremism is complementing wider national, regional and continental counter terrorism strategies and frameworks. These include the ECOWAS counter-terrorism strategy and African Union Counter Terrorism Framework, as well as Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Strategy and Terrorism Prevention Act, which aim to confront the menace bluntly and mitigate the impact of violent extremism on the continent.
He express UNDP’s heartfelt gratitude to the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC), the Government of Japan and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning (MBNP) for their continuous strong partnership with UNDP and for making this event a reality. Your commitment to fostering peace and security in our region is truly commendable.
Lieutenant Colonel Morita Tatsuya, the Defence Attached of the Japanese Embassy in Nigeria in his own speech, expressed happiness with the organiser of the course, the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre for their effort at providing participants with the essential skills and knowledge to counter violent extremism in the ECOWAS region.
Tatsuya added that over the years, Japan has consistently show its commitment to supporting essential training for African-led peace support operations and capacity building in Africa, adding that Japan recognises the significant role of African-led Peace Support Operations in maintaining peace and stability in the continent.
” In Nigeria, we have been supporting the Peacekeeping Operation (PKO) training in partnership with the UNDP and PKO training centres for the past 6 years, including this one.
Over the years, since the first Defence Attaché was attached to our Embassy in 2015, the friendship between Japan and Nigeria in the area of defence has been strengthened. Although direct defence cooperation between Japan and Nigeria is yet to be realised, we would like to work towards a stronger partnership.” He said
