Organizations call for stronger measures to combat terror in Nigeria

Civil society organisations are pushing for more robust measures to combat terrorism in Nigeria, as they encourage security agencies to bolster their efforts to safeguard lives and property, while also urging citizens to play a more active role in supporting the fight against insecurity by sharing credible intelligence.

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This appeal was made by the United Against Terror Movement (UATM) on Saturday in Abuja, where the organisation commended the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and local vigilante groups for their recent successes in counter-terrorism operations.

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However, the UATM stressed that the battle against violent extremism is far from over, with the Convener of the movement, Okai Austin, noting that while security agencies have demonstrated renewed professionalism in tackling terrorism, sustained efforts are necessary to ensure Nigerians can live without fear.

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Austin expressed his appreciation for the DSS, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, and local vigilante groups, saying "We commend the DSS, the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force and local vigilante groups for their sacrifices and renewed professionalism in tackling terrorism.

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He emphasized that despite the progress made, the work is far from over, and every effort must be made to ensure Nigerians can live without fear, adding "However, the work is far from over, and every effort must be made to ensure Nigerians can live without fear."

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Austin praised the DSS for adopting a law-based approach to counter-terrorism, which involves arresting suspects and allowing the courts to determine their guilt or innocence, rather than resorting to extrajudicial measures.

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According to him, the agency's commitment to due process has strengthened public trust in democratic institutions and demonstrated that terrorism can be effectively tackled within the framework of the law, as evidenced by the DSS's approach to counter-terrorism, which has shown that "terrorism can be fought within the ambit of the law through arrests, investigations and successful prosecutions."

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This approach, Austin noted, is a model that should continue, and he also pointed to the recent release and compensation of a farmer allegedly wrongfully arrested by the DSS in Kaduna State as evidence of increasing institutional accountability.

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Austin urged other security agencies, including the military and police, to embrace similar standards, and warned that terrorist groups continue to pose a serious threat to national security, calling for enhanced intelligence gathering, stronger coordination among security agencies, and more aggressive operations against violent extremists.

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He stated that "Terrorism remains a serious threat" and emphasized that military commanders and political leaders must intensify intelligence gathering and eliminate violent extremism wherever it exists, adding that "Every attack on any Nigerian should be seen as an attack on the nation."

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Austin further urged Nigerians to support the #UnitedAgainstTerror campaign by volunteering credible information to security agencies, stressing that public cooperation remains critical to defeating terrorism, and noting that "Effective collaboration between citizens and security agencies will deny terrorists the secrecy they rely on to plan and execute attacks."

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He also stated that "Security is everyone’s responsibility," and emphasized the importance of citizens playing a more active role in supporting the fight against insecurity.

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Another member of the movement, Okpanachi Jacob, cautioned against sharing sensitive security information on social media, warning that such disclosures could jeopardise ongoing operations and undermine national security efforts, saying "Security information should be passed directly to the appropriate authorities, not circulated on social media where it could compromise ongoing operations."

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Jacob also called on the Federal Government to strengthen oversight of funds allocated to states and local governments, arguing that prudent management of public resources would help tackle poverty and other socio-economic conditions that often contribute to insecurity.