We need to do more to counter terrorism, violent extremism – Army

Maj.-Gen. Johnny Hammakim, the Director-General of the Nigerian Army Resource Centre says more still need to be done to check violent extremism in the country even though Boko Haram has been degraded.

Hammakim said this on Monday when he declared open a four-day course on “Leadership in Counter Terrorism and Counter Violent Extremism’’ for senior military officers, police, para-military personnel and other stakeholders.

The course is organised by the resource centre in collaboration with the Peace Building Development Foundation (PBDF).

Hammakim described terrorism as a dynamic challenge where various issues come up every day.

“The ability to identify those issues and educate these stakeholders is very important that is why we are organising this course,’’ he said.

He also noted that as terrorist groups globally cooperate to carry out their nefarious activities, there was the need to plan ahead in countering them.

Mr Kayode Bolaji, the Executive Director of PBDF, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the opening of the workshop, said there was the need for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) to synergise with security agencies in combating terrorism and violent extremism.

According to Bolaji, at the root of violent extremism is human insecurity.

“People will protest when their basic rights are tampered with, they will protest when they lack food and employment.

“So, we decide to bring agencies, MDAs, CSOs, academics and donour agencies to educate us to be able to have synergy in countering violent extremism,’’ he said.

It was reported that resource persons drawn from the academia, CSOs as well as serving and retired military personnel are expected to make presentations at the training.