At UN Ministerial Meeting, Nigeria Makes Case for Sustained Support Systems for Victims of Violent Extremism
Linus Aleke in Abuja
Nigeria has called on the international community to move beyond short-term humanitarian relief and establish sustained, long-term support systems for victims and survivors of violent extremism.
Nigeria made the call at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Addressing international delegates at the meeting, which was co-convened by Spain and Iraq on the sidelines of the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa (rtd.), emphasised the disproportionate impact of terrorism on the African continent. He noted that sub-Saharan Africa alone accounted for approximately 60 per cent of global terrorism-related deaths in 2025.
According to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Honourable Minister of Defence, Leah Katung-Babatunde, General Musa said: “Behind these figures are families displaced, livelihoods destroyed, communities fractured, and lives permanently changed.
“Our task now is to ensure that the identified priorities and needs of victims, as well as lessons and good practices, are translated into sustained action.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s domestic counter-terrorism and justice efforts, the Defence Minister disclosed that the country had secured 865 terrorism-related convictions in 2026 alone, demonstrating its commitment to accountability.
He reaffirmed that Nigeria continues to prioritise the liberation of captives alongside comprehensive post-rescue support, including medical care, psychosocial rehabilitation, economic assistance and community reintegration.
Drawing on Nigeria’s operational experience, General Musa presented a three-point framework for strengthening international cooperation: enhanced peer learning, inclusive partnerships and targeted United Nations support.
On enhanced peer learning, the Minister advocated the establishment of institutional mechanisms through which Member States can share operational models, referral systems and lessons learned, including candid assessments of approaches that have failed to produce their intended outcomes.
He explained that establishing direct feedback channels and strengthening partnerships among national authorities, civil society organisations and victims’ associations would ensure meaningful survivor participation in justice and rehabilitation efforts.
He also called for expanded United Nations technical assistance, capacity-building and resource mobilisation to be specifically tailored to countries bearing the heaviest burdens of terrorism.
General Musa commended the United Nations for its initiatives in support of victims, including the UNOCT Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme, the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN), and Germany’s support for the development of the Toolkit for Technology-Enabled Support to Victims of Terrorism.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to share its expertise and collaborate with international partners, the Minister expressed optimism about the forthcoming International Conference on Victims of Terrorism, scheduled to take place in Baghdad, Iraq, in the fourth quarter of 2026.