• Reaffirms commitment against terrorism

Nigeria has charged African nations to move against illicit funds, linking the increasing wave of terrorism and violent extremism in the region to such funds.

A statement by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media Office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, Dr Magnus Eze, disclosed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, stated these at the 1354th Meeting of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, at the ministerial level, which held virtually yesterday.

The minister said that terrorist groups on the continent were beginning to show greater resilience against conventional military counter-terrorism operations in Africa.

She stated that Nigeria strongly condemned all acts of the twin evils of terrorism and violent extremism and extended the country’s solidarity with all victims of the menace.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu also extended the nation’s appreciation of the sacrifices of the armed forces who continued to confront terrorists operating on the continent daily.

The minister noted that the spread of terrorism and violent extremism within the West African Region had been adduced as justification for the intervention of military adventurists to unconstitutionally change democratically elected Governments in their countries.

The minister further stated that the greatest challenge before the AU was determining the best way to curtail the operational freedom of jihadist groups on the continent.

She therefore called for urgent translation to action of their commitments at the 2022 Malabo Extraordinary Summit on Counter Terrorism, as well as those made by Member States during the High-Level African Counter-Terrorism Meeting, held in Abuja, in 2024.

The Meeting was presided over by Haruna Kasolo, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uganda and Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council of the AU for July 2026.