How ulamas, imams can partner govt in ongoing war against insurgency ― NSA

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj-Gen Mohammed Monguno (rtd), has urged ulamas, preachers and imams across the country to support the current war against insurgency activities through enlightenment and education at the grassroots level.

Gen Monguno started this at the 14th Workshop of Ulamas, Preachers and Imams of Sahel countries holding in Abuja.

The NSA said that terrorism and the rapid escalation of violent activities by militant Islamist groups in the Sahel since 2016 have been primarily driven by the Islamic State in Greater Sahara (ISGS), which mainly operated in Mali and extended to the Niger Republic and Burkina Faso respectively.

According to him, “it is bolstered by activities of groups such as Jama’at Nasr al-Islam Wal Muslimin (JNIM), the Islamic and Muslim Support Group (GSIM) and ISGS, which have continued to pose an imminent threat to the stability of the region. In Nigeria, Boko-Haram and Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) dominate terrorist activities, especially in the North-Eastern part of the country

“The situation in the Sahel has never been grimmer, extremist violence continues to spread; the number of internally displaced persons (IDPS) is growing, and food insecurity is affecting more people than ever before.

“There are several not entirely congruent working hypotheses underpinning foreign and regional government strategies. It is imperative to reassess and reset the strategy towards the Sahel, setting aside faulty assumptions.

“Particularly, the international community and its Sahelian partners should prioritize governance, press for or pursue an expanded peace process, cautiously through dialogue, and push for the adoption of more non-kinetic measures through affected communities.”

He however declared that the affected countries were not relenting as several measures have been put in place.

According to him, “nonetheless, the possibility of Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP) creating an established caliphate to rival Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) countries has been checkmated by series of concerted and reinvigorated efforts of the countries of the Region.

“The adoption of both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches by LCBC countries to stem the conflict has yielded tremendous successes.”

Gen Monguno noted that propaganda videos by terrorist groups to project themselves as contending powers in the region were mere attempts to garner support from sympathizers, as they struggle to maintain relevance.

“Thus, it is assessed that while the groups maintain the long term strategic goal of creating a caliphate, the efforts of LCBC countries will continue to frustrate that goal,” he declared

He, therefore, appealed to the ulamas, preachers and community leaders to support efforts of the security forces in their various localities to end the menace.

According to him, “just as collaborations between governments are boosting the advance of security forces in the fight against terrorism, alliances and group effort like LOPIS should be the backbone to rebuilding our terrorism infested communities.

“There’s no gun more powerful than enlightenment and education at the grassroots level,” he said.

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