The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Yusuf Tuggar, made a concerning revelation during his speech at the African Counter-Terrorism meeting in Abuja.
He emphasized that terrorists in Nigeria and across Africa wield control over a staggering number of arms, totaling over 40 million. This revelation underscores the grave threat posed by terrorism on the continent.
“For many years, we have pushed for greater cooperation to counter terrorism and tackle the proliferation of unregistered and untraceable small arms. There are 40 million small arms and light weapons under the control of non-state actors in Africa.”
Tuggar underscored the gravity of the situation, noting that Africa faces unprecedented challenges from forces that seek to undermine development and stability.
He echoed sentiments expressed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, who emphasized that factors like despair, poverty, and lack of basic services create fertile ground for the expansion of terrorist groups.
The Minister lauded the efforts of the United Nations in addressing terrorism but stressed the need for greater cooperation to combat the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Africa.
“We’re fighting networks that know no boundaries or borders. Where bombers and gunmen in one part of the world are financed from another, equipped from another still, and picked targets without discrimination in rich countries and poor.”
“The stakes could not be higher, our values, our freedoms, our hopes and aspirations face unprecedented threat. Some forces seek to destroy the institutions that facilitate stability, development, and progress.”
He lamented the scourge of violent extremism, which seeks to impose interests through force and fear, posing a significant challenge to global security.
Tuggar also highlighted the evolving nature of the terrorist threat, citing the use of social media, fake news, and encrypted communications to propagate extremist ideologies and facilitate illicit activities.
“Social media, the spread of fake news and incendiary hate speech, including through generative adversarial networks, encrypted communications, and unregulated financial transfers using cryptocurrency are some new tools that regulators and states have been slow to arrest to prevent exploitation by terror groups”.
He called for urgent action to understand the root causes of terrorism in Africa, including factors like climate change and economic marginalization.
Furthermore, Tuggar emphasized the importance of collective action to defend common values and aspirations from those who seek to sow destruction and chaos.
The event saw the participation of various dignitaries, including President Bola Tinubu, Heads of state and government from across Africa, representatives of international organizations, and members of civil society groups.
In a related development, the National Security Adviser, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu, announced Nigeria’s resumption of the prosecution of Boko Haram terrorists, signaling a renewed commitment to combating terrorism within the country.
The meeting served as a platform for stakeholders to discuss strategies for strengthening regional cooperation and institution-building to address the evolving threat of terrorism in Africa.
