Nigeria, UK Strengthen Counter-terrorism Efforts With Advanced Intelligence Analysis Course

Nigeria and the United Kingdom (UK)have strengthened counterterrorism efforts with Intelligence Analysis Course, operational, tactical and strategic incident command courses for field commanders.

It is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s national security, peace, stability and socioeconomic development.

The national coordinator, National Counter Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, said the Gold, Silver and Bronze Incident Command Courses were designed to prepare personnel to manage emergencies and major incidents in a structured and coordinated manner .

Represented by the director  of Intelligence, Brig-Gen Peter Gbor, he said the 10-day programme aims to develop strategic and tactical leadership skills, strengthen decision-making, foster strategic, tactical and operational thinking, promote multi-agency collaboration and build crisis management proficiency.

He said, “At the end of the courses, participants are expected to understand the strategic, operational and tactical concepts applicable to various emergencies and major incidents, as well as master crisis management techniques, thereby contributing to the strengthening of Nigeria’s national emergency preparedness, crisis response, inter-agency coordination as well as national incident management framework.”

He explained that the Advanced Intelligence Analysis Course is designed to provide the participants with the methodologies and techniques to more effectively collect, fuse and deliver intelligence across the intelligence and security enterprises.

“Considering the contemporary security challenges Nigeria is facing, this type of course is highly significant in the fight against terrorists that are damaging the peace and stability of the country,” he said.

He added that the course is significant to all participants, as they are expected to acquire knowledge and experience which they will use in the field to help counter contemporary security challenges, thereby contributing to the enhancement of Nigeria’s national security, peace, stability and socio-economic development.

In his remarks, the regional coordinator, Joint Counter Terrorism Training and Advisory Team, British High Commission, Ian Tyler, represented by Anthony Francis said the Intelligence Analysis Course, operational, tactical and Strategic Incident command courses, with the newest addition being the operational incident command courses,was organised after close consultation with NCTC and the front line to ensure officers on the ground have the right tools to co-ordinate and communicate the chaos they may come across in order to save lives.

He said the threats faced across the Sahel continue to grow in scale, complexity and ambition.

He reaffirmed that instability, terrorism, organised crime and violent extremism do not respect borders.

“What happens across the wider region matters deeply to Nigeria, to West Africa, and to international security. That is why strong national coordination, effective command structures and trusted partnerships are no longer optional — they are essential,” he said.

Tyler stated that the course facilitators come with a wide range of operational, intelligence, policing, military and crisis-management experience, from the street of Northern Ireland during decades of the troubles caused by the Irish Republican Army to the first responders of the London Tube bombings of 2005 and Manchester arena bombings of 2017 not to mention a wide range of military operational experience both domestically in the UK and internationally.

“The skills developed here will translate directly to the frontline beyond Ex RAPID RESPONSE in September — improving coordination, strengthening intelligence-led decision-making, supporting commanders at every level and helping ensure Nigeria is better prepared to prevent, respond to and recover from terrorist incidents. lives may depend on effective command,” he said.

The combined Gold, Silver, and Bronze Incident Commanders Course and Advanced Intelligence Analysis Course is organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with the British High Commission.