From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Chief of Army Staff(COAS), Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja, has called for collaboration with the United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism(UNOCT), to curb insurgency, terrorism and banditry which is ravaging some parts of the country.
Lagbaja has also solicited the support of the UNOCT for the federal government deradicalization, rehabilitation, and reintegration of repentant of Boko Haram terrorists.
Lagaba, who made this when he received the Under Secretary General, United Nations Office for Counter-Terrorism, Vladimir Voronkov, in his office at the army headquarters in Abuja, said the collaboration has become necessary to restore peace and stability in states hit by their activities.
The COAS, while noting the menace caused by activities of the insurgents, said that bandits operating in the North West and North Central regions of the country have adopted the tactics of terrorists by using Improvised Explosive Devices(IEDs), to scare law-abiding citizens.
Gen. Lagbaja, who said the Nigerian Army has been engaged In the fight against terrorism in the North East and presently engaged in banditry operations, said “We are open to working with the UN. Combatting terrorism requires both an offensive and constructive approach. The Nigerian Army has been engaged In the fight against terror in the North East and presently we are engaged in banditry who have employed some of the tactics of the terrorists such as the use of improvised explosive devices to instill fear in the minds of law-abiding citizens.
He said “We are poised and ready to cooperate with critical partners especially the UN office for counter-terrorism. The Nigerian Army is not only focusing on the offensive approach, we know that no matter how long we conduct our kinetic operations, we need to bring in the non-kinetic approach to bear in other to have a stable environment. ”
Continuing, the COAS, said “The Nigerian Army through our efforts over the years has brought repentant terrorists to our holding facilities. We are looking forward to the support of the UN and even other organs of the UN on the DDR programme”.
Earlier in his address, Vladimir Voronkov, while assuring that his organisation would build Nigeria’s capacity to detect, investigate and prosecute terrorism-related offenses, promised to partner with the Nigerian army to curb the menace of terrorism.
“We look forward to further deepening our partnership with the Nigerian Army and the need for increased multilateral collaboration to support Africa in addressing an evolving terrorism threat on the continent.
“We also look forward to formalising the existing cooperation in countering terrorism. We will also like to build Nigeria’s capacity to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute terrorist offences by collecting and analysing them. “