President Bola Tinubu has said foreigners pump a lot of money to fund illegal mining and terrorism across Africa.
The President sought the commitment of the international community to help the continent win the ongoing war against the menaces.
He stressed the need for African countries to strengthen regional cooperation and institution-building to address the evolving threat of terrorism on the continent.
According to him, terrorism poses a significant threat to peace, security, and development in the continent.
President Tinubu spoke earlier in Abuja at the opening ceremony of a two-day African High-Level Meeting on Counter-Terrorism, with the theme: Strengthening Regional Cooperation and Institution Building to Address Evolving Threats of Terrorism, organised by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and UN Office for Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT).
He said: “While we seek to address the root causes of terrorism, we must also attack the roots that feed this evil branch. Evolving from the tactics of yesterday, terrorism is becoming a greater threat as it perfects ways to continuously finance, re-equip and re-supply itself for its sinister mission.
“Not only does it kidnap people, it kidnaps precious resources. Billions upon billions of dollars that legitimate governments should be using to sculpt better societies by providing education, health care, and food for its people now go to pay for weapons and mayhem.
“Look at the illegal mining that plagues so many of our nations today. Those who think illegal mining has no connection with financing terrorism are sorely mistaken. The international community has both the moral and legal obligation to help in this cause because it is outside money, not African money, that fuels the illegal operations.
“We shall be knocking on this door of the international community to answer this call for justice, peace, and fair play.”
President Tinubu noted that terrorism poses a threat to everyone in the society, saying: “Terrorism snipes at the very fabric of the tranquil, prosperous, and just societies we seek to build for ourselves and our children. It seeks to frighten the farmer from his field, children from their schools, women from the marketplace, and families from their very homes.”
To combat the menace, the President said: “We must address the root causes of extremism, such as poverty, marginalisation, and social injustice. However, this important fact should not become empty rhetoric, devoid of meaning or action.”
He stressed the need to strengthen existing counter-terrorism structures, such as the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit (RIFU), the African Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA).
President Tinubu also stressed the need for a Regional Standby Force that includes tackling terrorism as part of its mandate.
He sought the cooperation of regional governments across Africa to fight and end the menace on the continent.
Also, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, called for concerted efforts to fight terrorism in Africa through integrated security strategies.
The NSA said terrorism in Africa was driven by several factors, including organised crime, foreign terrorism financing and training, poverty, inequality, and prolonged conflicts.
He said Nigeria was dealing decisively with all drivers of violent extremism, including economic and social enablers, enhancing intelligence gathering through enhanced inter-agency collaboration and confidence building with citizens.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, said the values, freedoms, hopes and aspirations of the continent are currently facing unprecedented threats as a result of terrorism.
The minister said Nigeria had for years pushed for greater cooperation on counter-terrorism and tackle the proliferation of unregistered and untraceable small arms, which have reached 40 million in the hands of non-state actors in Africa.
The United Nations (UN) Deputy Secretary General, Amina Mohammed, called for more efforts to address the underlying causes of terrorism and rebuild communities affected by the menace in Africa.
She noted that terrorists are not born but created by the environment due to social exclusion, inequality, and relegation of human rights.
Also, the Under-Secretary-General for UNOCT, Mr. Vladimir Voronkov, praised Africa and regional organisations for their tireless efforts in countering the scourge that had affected lives and well-being of millions of people on the continent.
Voronkov said the regional initiatives, like the Multi-National Joint Task Force, require support and long-term commitment from the international community to defeat terrorism in Africa.
He said the success of the UN in Africa hinges on its commitment to supporting African-led solutions to the continent’s challenges, adding that no single actor could resolve current threats to peace and security.
