September 03, (THEWILL) — The National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser, says Nigeria has so far conducted eight phases of terrorism-related trials, resulting in 775 convictions.
The National Coordinator of the Centre, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, disclosed this on Wednesday, noting that the trials underscored Nigeria’s commitment to pursuing justice through lawful processes while creating room for rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant fighters.
“So far, we have conducted eight phases of terrorism trials with 775 convictions.
“This sends a clear message that terrorism will not go unpunished. At the same time, our approach recognises the need for non-kinetic measures such as dialogue, reconciliation, empowerment, and community resilience,” he said.
Laka explained that Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy was anchored on “whole-of-government” and “whole-of-society” approaches, involving state institutions, civil society, religious and traditional leaders, the private sector, and young people.
He stressed that while military actions remained vital, long-term security could only be achieved by winning hearts and minds, restoring trust in governance, and tackling root causes of terrorism, including poverty, unemployment, and social exclusion.
The NCTC coordinator spoke in Abuja at the opening of a two-day Regional Conference on Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS Region and the Sahel.
The conference, organised in partnership with the ECOWAS Commission, brought together security chiefs, policymakers, regional institutions, and development partners to review strategies against terrorism and violent extremism.
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