Yaminu Musa, coordinator of the National Counterterrorism Center of the Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), says proceeds from kidnappings are being used to partly finance terrorism.
Musa, a retired Rear Admiral, stated this on Wednesday in Abuja during the “Anti-Kidnapping Multi-Agency Fusion Cell Media and Communication Workshop”, organized by ONSA in collaboration with the British High Commission.
“Kidnapping for ransom is also considered one of the means of financing terrorism.
“Therefore, the carnage unleashed by kidnappers affiliated with terrorist groups across the world, resulting in loss and disruption of lives and property, is of grave concern.
“Hence the need to make collective efforts to promote measures that control the threat.
“Evidently, the threat requires concerted and sustained efforts by all citizens, governments at all levels, the international community and the media, which of course are the Fourth Estate of the Kingdom.
“You will agree with me that the proceeds of kidnapping for ransom have continued to serve as a platform for financing terrorism not only in Nigeria but throughout the Sahel,” he said.
Musa said the workshop was pertinent to the overall success of the government’s effort to reduce the threat of kidnapping.
He added that the media would help build the kind of relationship that the NCTC-ONSA wanted on the efforts of security agencies in protecting lives and property in the country.
According to him, the role of the media in the fight against terrorism and other associated crimes, such as kidnapping, cannot be overemphasized.
“In an increasingly interconnected world, where information spreads at an unprecedented pace, the media has the power to amplify or mitigate the impact of security-related news.
“The consequences of inaccurate or sensational information can be damaging to public trust, exacerbate fear and anxiety, and even hamper counterterrorism efforts,” he said.
The coordinator said it was vital for the government and the media to work together to establish a framework of synergy and standardization for reporting on security-related issues.
He said such collaboration would not only improve the accuracy and quality of news but also contribute to national security.
UK National Crime Agency program director Chris Grimson said the workshop followed a series of agreements between Nigeria and the UK to create a multi-agency kidnapping fusion cell.
Grimson said the purpose of the workshop was to identify and explore what was needed to create the fusion cell or whatever it turns out to be.
One of the workshop facilitators, Leye Jaiyeola, a retired rear admiral, said: “The fusion cells workshop was designed to devise a joint decision model that allows for effective use by multiple agencies and conflict resolution.”
Jaiyeola said the workshop aimed to establish principles that would provide participants with an agreed framework to support decision-making and develop appropriate legislation for the effective management and resolution of kidnapping issues.
He said kidnapping had become a major threat in Nigeria, hence the need to develop an agreed national amalgamation and coordination mechanism on kidnapping.
“Our approach is to ensure that we maintain a strategic posture in the national sequestration operation, involving all agencies in its execution, so that we can put our feet in the right place and develop a set of principles for commanders to comply with.
“We’ve looked at developing a standard operating procedure, we’ve looked at developing the doctrine itself, and this workshop session is the session that involves engaging with the public to build confidence in security.
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“Before that was missing. As for what the security agencies are doing, in some cases there is an assumption that they are doing nothing, which in most cases is due to a lack of knowledge of what the security agencies are doing.
“So the essence of this training phase is that we develop what we call a clear and effective information sharing strategy and an effective information sharing platform,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workshop has participants drawn from the media, military, security agencies, ministries, departments and agencies.
(YAYA)