Kidnapping revenues are used to partially finance terrorism, according to Yaminu Musa, coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre at the Office of the National Security Advisor (NCTC-ONSA).
At the "anti-kidnap multi-agency fusion cell media and communication workshop," which was put on by ONSA and the British High Commission on Wednesday in Abuja, Musa made this statement.
Kidnapping for ransom is one of the ways that terrorists is funded, according to research.
The destruction caused by kidnappers working with terrorist organizations around the world, which results in the loss and destruction of lives and property, is a big worry. We therefore need to work together to advance the threat-checking measures.
The threat, he continued, required coordinated and ongoing actions from every citizen, every level of government, the international community, and the media.
You'll concur with me when I say that the money from kidnapping people for ransom have continued to be used as a platform for funding terrorism not only in Nigeria but also throughout the Sahel.
The session, according to Musa, was crucial to the overall effectiveness of the government's initiative to reduce the threat of kidnapping.
He continued by saying that the media would contribute to the development of the connection that the NCTC-ONSA intended regarding the work done by security services to safeguard people and property in the nation.
He claimed that the media's ability to define the agenda was essential in the struggle against terrorism and other related crimes.
The media has the capacity to either enhance or lessen the impact of security-related news events in a world that is becoming more linked and where information is disseminated at an unparalleled rate.
"The consequences of inaccurate or sensationalist reporting can be detrimental to public trust, exacerbate fear and anxiety, and even hinder counterterrorism efforts," the speaker stated.
The coordinator stressed the importance of collaboration between the government and the media in creating a framework for standardization and synergy in reporting on security-related issues.
He said that such cooperation would improve news reporting's accuracy and overall quality while also advancing national security.
The workshop was the result of a number of agreements between Nigeria and the UK to establish a multi-agency kidnap fusion cell, according to Chris Grimson, the programme manager of the National Crime Agency UK.
Grimson claims that the workshop's goal was to determine and investigate the requirements for developing the fusion cell, or whatever it ultimately ended out to be.
"The fusion cell workshop was designed to come up with a joint decision model to allow for an effective multi-agency use and conflict resolution," Leye Jaiyeola, one of the facilitators, stated.
According to Jaiyeola, the purpose of the workshop was to establish guidelines that would give participants a framework for decision-making and help draft appropriate legislation for the management and settlement of abduction issues.
He claimed that abduction has grown to be a serious problem in Nigeria, necessitating the creation of a coordinated national framework for coordination and fusion of kidnapping cases.
"Our goal is to ensure that we maintain a strategic national kidnap operation posture, involve all relevant agencies in the process, and develop a set of guiding principles that will enable the commanders to carry out their duties.
"We have looked at developing the doctrine itself, at developing standard operating procedure, and this workshop session is the session that involves relating with the public so that they will build trust and confidence in the security," the workshop leader said.
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