Partnership needed to eradicate violent extremism – GOC 

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Farouk Mijinyawa has stressed the need for partnership and collective efforts to eradicate violent extremism in the country. 

Mijinyawa said this during the graduation ceremony of 32 participants of the Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC)  on Countering Violent Extremism held at the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration (NASFA).

The two-week training, Countering Violent Extremism Course had participants from Ghana, Sierra Leone, Cameroon, Guinea Bissau, Togo, and Liberia.

Mijinyawa commended the collaboration between MLAILPKC and the Government of Japan through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) which culminated in the approval and conduct of the course. 

“The strategic partnership between the Centre and the Government of Japan through the UNDP serves as a beacon of international cooperation which needs to be sustained,” Mijinyawa said.

The GOC said that violent extremism had continued to threaten world peace and humanity in general, stating that there must be unity to identify its root causes and tackle it.

He said “the training will help to enhance capacity and equip potential peacekeepers with the requisite expertise to handle threats posed by violent extremism.

“It will also enable them to effectively perform their roles in a multidimensional peacekeeping mission.”

The GOC said that he was pleased with the caliber of resource persons, facilitators, and experts invited from within and outside the country to make presentations during the course.

“I urge the graduands to apply the knowledge gained from this course in the discharge of their responsibilities in their various formations, units, and organisations,” he said.

Mijinyawa commended the collaboration of the government of Japan, and UNDP with MLAILPKC for their commitment to ensuring peace and stability in Africa.

Mr Matthew Alao, Team Lead, Governance, Peace, and Security Unit, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Nigeria, said violent extremism was a complex, multifaceted problem that require adaptable solutions.