Chairman of the Partnership Against Violent Extremism Network, Jaye Gaskia, said governance failures, not just security issues, lie at the heart of violent extremism in Nigeria.
Speaking at the inaugural meeting of the Community of Practice for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism Knowledge, Innovation, and Resources in Abuja, he described violent extremism as a “governance challenge” rather than a purely security matter.
“Extremism doesn’t thrive in places with good governance, inclusion, and representation,” he said.
Gaskiya pointed out that many Nigerian communities are effectively “ungoverned spaces,” relying on informal self-governance structures like community development associations, which lack formal authority.
He called for empowering these local institutions to bridge governance gaps and drive sustainable solutions.
“Communities must be at the forefront of finding and implementing solutions to violent extremism,” he said, adding that addressing governance challenges would mitigate the conditions that allow extremism to thrive.
Also at the event, Major General Adamu Laka, national coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Center, highlighted the importance of youth—and women-focused programmes like the Young Peacebuilders Network, which have fostered alternative pathways and strengthened community-driven peacebuilding.
“Capacity-building initiatives have bolstered the skills of law enforcement, community leaders, and other stakeholders,” he said.
However, he noted persistent challenges, including limited resources, socioeconomic inequalities, and extremists’ exploitation of digital platforms for recruitment and propaganda.
Laka emphasized the need for grassroots ownership of counter-extremism initiatives, stating, “Adopting local ownership through participatory planning and budgeting at state and community levels, alongside strengthened capacity-building for state actors, will ensure sustainable progress.”
He also called for deeper collaboration with international organisations, academia, and the private sector to provide additional resources and expertise.
Reacting to a report from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealing that N2.3 trillion was paid as ransom in Nigeria in one year, Ms. Yetunde Adegoke, National Coordinator of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund, described the situation as alarming.
“We’ve been monitoring the growing problem and are aware of the scale,” Adegoke said.
“The government is aware and has advised scaling up community resilience programmes.”
Adegoke also underscored the importance of “non-kinetic” approaches to complement military efforts.
“Once insurgents surrender, we must ensure there are opportunities for reintegration and contributions to national development.”
Deputy country director of ActionAid Nigeria, Suwaiba Muhammad Dankabo, stressed the importance of consistent evaluation of strategies to ensure progress in peacebuilding.
“We need to reflect on what has worked and what hasn’t to address the issues undermining peace in Nigeria,” she said.
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