NCTC-ONSA Holds Two-Day National Counter Terrorism Strategy Workshop

Mallam Nuhu Ribadu
National Security Adviser 

"It is this spirit that underpins our understanding at the Centre that the fight against terrorism cannot rest solely on the shoulders of security agencies, but requires the active involvement of all sectors of society, from government institutions to community leaders, civil society organizations, the private sector, and our international partners." Maj. General Adamu Laka, National Coordinator, NCTC-ONSA.

The National Coordinator of National Counter Terrorism Centre in the office of the National Security Adviser, NCTC-ONSA, Major General Adamu Laka, has on behalf of the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu expressed his appreciation to participants at the opening ceremony of the National Counter Terrorism Strategy Workshop held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, NCTC on Tuesday, 1 July 2025 in Abuja.

The National Coordinator of the NCTC commended the dedication and steadfast commitment of the participants to the collective task of reviewing this vital document that underpins our Nation’s counterterrorism efforts.

Stakeholders at the opening ceremony of the ongoing 2 days National Counter Terrorism Strategy Review Workshop at the NCTC in a group photograph.

Major General Laka, while addressing the participants, recalled that "the National Counter Terrorism Strategy 2016 has guided our national efforts in the fight against terrorism for nearly a decade."

"However, given the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the security landscape, it has become increasingly clear that a comprehensive review and update of this strategy are long overdue. This is necessary to ensure it reflects emerging threats, the evolving tactics of terrorist organizations, and the invaluable lessons learned from our counterterrorism operations over the years." He stated.

"Sequel to the expert review and the contributions made during the several stakeholders’ meetings, we now have a consolidated draft of the revised NACTEST. I am proud to say that this draft is the result of months of diligent work and valuable inputs from a broad range of stakeholders across Ministries, Departments, Agencies, civil society organizations, and our international partners. These wide array of perspectives have been instrumental in producing a draft strategy that is robust, inclusive, fully aligned with international best practices and will stand the test of time."

"This review", according to the National Coordinator of the NCTC-ONSA, "comes at a particularly important time, as the Centre is transitioning into a Regional Centre of Excellence for Counterterrorism in West Africa and the Sahel, following the declaration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR. This transition underscores Nigeria’s leadership and commitment to regional security, and it demands that we produce a National Counter Terrorism Strategy that meets Nigeria’s needs and also sets a benchmark for the Region.

"The Centre’s expanded role as a Regional Centre of Excellence includes spearheading capacity-building efforts for West African and Sahelian states. Indeed, we are currently conducting 4 simultaneous courses at the Centre over the next 2 weeks. These are the Silver Commanders, Gold Commanders, Intelligence Analysis, and Train-the-Trainer Aviation Security Courses, all organized in partnership with the British Council." He disclosed.

He expressed the NCTC-ONSA profound gratitude to the British Council and all the partners for their steadfast support and invaluable contributions. 

"This workshop is also carefully designed to ensure active participation and collective ownership of the revised strategy. Accordingly, Day 1 will feature the presentation of inputs and the draft revised NACTEST, to provide an opportunity to review contributions received so far and align the document with stakeholder expectations and the realities of the current threat environment. On Day 2, participants will engage in plenary and specialized breakout sessions to promote deeper dialogue, enable focused discussions on thematic areas of the strategy, and generate actionable recommendations." He said.

Major General Laka urged all to participate actively and bring their unique expertise to bear. "Let us remain guided by the 2 foundational pillars of our counterterrorism approach: the Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society strategies. These pillars remind us that terrorism is not only a security challenge but also a social and ideological one, requiring the combined efforts of government institutions and society at large.

"It is this spirit that underpins our understanding at the Centre that the fight against terrorism cannot rest solely on the shoulders of security agencies, but requires the active involvement of all sectors of society, from government institutions to community leaders, civil society organizations, the private sector, and our international partners." 

In his conclusion, the National Coordinator of the NCTC-ONSA, on behalf of the National Security Adviser, thanked the participants for their presence, steadfast commitment, and invaluable contributions to this noble cause. 

He thanked the EU-UN Global Terrorism Threats Facility for their support; stating that their expert inputs over the past week have significantly enriched the quality of the draft document, and in the same vein, extended the deep appreciation of the NCTC-ONSA to all partners for their support in our counterterrorism initiatives. 

Equally so, Major General Adamu Laka used the opportunity to also thank the Services, and the various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies represented for their active participation and dedication to this critical national effort. He did not fail to also express profound gratitude to the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, mni, whose strategic guidance, vision, and leadership have been instrumental in driving this whole process.