General Laka: Digital Domain Opens a Gateway for Terrorists to Exploit Cutting-edge Technology
General Laka: Digital Domain Opens a Gateway for Terrorists to Exploit Cutting-edge Technology
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Nationaal Coordinator of National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, said the digital age has opened a gateway for terrorists to exploit emerging technologies from artificial intelligence to autonomous technologies, encrypted communications, and blockchain-based financial tools, among others, to destabilise nations.
He also stated that access to radical content, recruitment platforms, illicit funding mechanisms, and the anonymity provided by cyberspace have compounded the threats the military and other security agencies face daily.
Laka said this during the official unveiling of the Counter Terrorism (CT) Technologies + Initiative, with the support of the United Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) and the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), in Abuja.
He, however, presented a disturbing trend where terrorists use commercial weaponised drones for surveillance over military deployments and delivering explosive payloads.
He noted that the initiative will critically examine areas of grave concern, stressing that it is apt and advocates innovation, adaptation, and strategic foresight in addressing the challenges of terrorism.
“At the NCTC, we firmly believe in proactive, collaborative, and tech-enabled responses to the evolving threat landscape. We are fully committed to initiatives such as CT TECH+ that align with our mandate not only to counter terrorism but also to prevent and address the root causes of violent extremism across Nigeria, West Africa, and the wider Sahel region,” he said.
He noted that the initiative, aimed at strengthening the capacity of partner states such as Nigeria to respond effectively to the growing threat of terrorism, adding that the initiative is for a two-year period. He applauded the UNCCT, INTERPOL, and the EU for selecting Nigeria as a beneficiary of the initiative.
The national coordinator stressed that technology has ushered the world into two interconnected realms: the physical world and the digital domain, adding that as innovation continues to evolve with the emergence of new technologies at an unprecedented pace, vast opportunities present themselves, but also complex, dynamic, and ever-changing risks.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, commended the Nigerian Government for its unwavering commitment to strengthening national security while upholding the principles of international law.
Fall observed that “we live in a time of rapid technological advancement, where new and emerging technologies hold the potential for development, civic engagement, and promotion of human rights.”
He also expressed regret that the technologies were increasingly being exploited by terrorists to spread fear, recruit, radicalise, finance their operations, and conduct their heinous attacks.
He added that artificial intelligence, the darknet, encrypted communication platforms, and virtual assets were now tools for the enemies of humanity, whose activities posed threats that were evolving rapidly, posing serious challenges for law enforcement and national security operatives.
He explained that it was in recognition of these challenges that the United Nations General Assembly, in its seventh review of the Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, called on the international community to strengthen support for member states in countering threats and leveraging the opportunities provided by new technologies.
The Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Nigeria, Mr. Gautier Mignot, also commended Nigeria’s efforts, spearheaded by the NCTC through the sterling leadership qualities of the National Coordinator of the Centre, Major General Adamu Garba Laka, for their deep commitment to counter-terrorism efforts.
He said the threats of terrorism were perceptible on five continents across the globe, manifesting in new forms and shapes. Countries, he said, must be one step ahead of terrorists in a more clever and coordinated manner.
Linus Aleke in Abuja The Nationaal Coordinator of National Counter Terrorism Centre, Office of the National Security Adviser (NCTC-ONSA), Major General Adamu Laka, said the digital age has opened a
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