By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
Some stakeholders have identified the continuous financing of terrorism activities as the reason why it thrives in many parts of Nigeria.
Some of the participants and resource persons pointed out that some people finance terrorism activities consciously while many others do so unconsciously.
These stakeholders who gathered in Gombe during a two day sensitisation workshop for civil society, community leaders and faith based organisations on the major drivers and enablers of terrorism financing and prevention of violent extremism in the northeast, opined that it requires collective and conscious efforts to disrupt and prevent terrorism.
The workshop which was organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Center (CISLAC) with funding from GIABA ECOWAS Commission, discussed on the menace of terrorism financing and its prevention.
In his goodwill message, the Commander 301 Artillery Regiment (General Support) Gombe, Col S.M Ahmed, who was represented by Lt. Col O. Ezekiel said the Nigerian Armed Forces has over a decade engaged in military operations against violent Extremism and terrorists groups which has recorded great successes.
He said, “Although the Military and other security agencies have recorded great successes in pursuits of peace, terrorism still persist in various shades and form within the geopolitical zones of the Nation”.
According to him, “One of the great enablers of terrorism is the source of funding and sponsorship. Terrorism financing is a scourge that affects all of us, it requires collective efforts to disrupt and prevent,” he pointed out.
He then commended the organizers of the workshop and stressed that it provides a unique opportunity for experts to come together, share knowledge and strategies that would enhance preventing violent Extremism and making the country a safe place.
Most of the speakers said many innocent people looking for their daily bread find themselves financing terrorists unknowingly when they sell their wares to them, particularly food and some very necessary daily needs.
They explained that the conscious financers are those selling weapons and other technical things for war as well as those giving out money for the terrorist activities to be carried out.
Mr. Jimoh Abubakar, who represented the Executive Director of CISLAC, Mr. Auwal Musa Rasfajani, at the commencement of the workshop explained that the Workshop was meant to broaden the discussion at community level in order to raise the consciousness of all.
He stated also that the workshop was expected to build the skills of participant’s on the need to curtail terrorism financing which occur at the community levels unhindered, most times unnoticed thereby undermining peace and security in the country as a whole.
According to Mr. Jimoh, the project aims at supporting stakeholders to understand the ills of terrorism financing and how it operates at the community in order to find lasting ways to combat it.
Chairman ACTU, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corpse (NSCDC), Commander Ekundayo Remi Omolade, said her unit and Civil Defence establishment would continue to provide its institutional role in the fight against terrorism and terrorism financing in the country.
She assured that the Commandant General is deeply committed to the partnership with CISLAC and other well meaning organisations in addressing terrorism in the country.
The Gombe State Coordinator of the North East Development Commission NEDC, Mr. Rufai Lawan Babamanu expressed the Commission’s commitment in supporting Government and critical stakeholders to address terrorism in the region.
He explained that the work and engagement of NEDC in addressing the IDP’s Housing, Educational and Development priorities in the region falls in line with improving livelihoods of citizens at community levels to prevent occurrences of crime in the communities.
Participants at the workshop, comprising traditional leaders, women groups, CSO’s, religious leaders among many others, identified security as everyone’s business.
They also made valued contributions on ways Terrorism Financing and violent extremism can be curtailed at community levels, pledging to spread the knowledge to members of their communities.
