Sunday Aborisade in Abuja 

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Monday unveiled Nigeria’s Counter-Terrorism Strategic Plan 2025–2030, declaring it a decisive turning point in the country’s battle against terrorism and violent extremism.

The document was produced by the National Counter-Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

It outlines Nigeria’s new security vision for the next five years. 

Speaking at the launch, Akpabio, in a statement by his Media Office, described the plan as “a defining moment in our nation’s journey”, stressing that Nigeria must secure its people to unlock its full development potential.

He said the plan represents a bold response to a generational question: how to secure the nation, safeguard citizens and place Nigeria firmly on the path of peace, growth and stability.

He said: “The Strategic Plan 2025–2030 answers this question with vision, discipline and ambition. 

‘“It offers a framework for transforming our institutions, modernising our security architecture, strengthening national resilience and expanding partnerships across government, industry, civil society and the international community.”

Akpabio warned that insecurity continues to erode the foundations of national development, citing investors pulling out, schools shutting down, farmers fleeing their fields and young people losing hope. 

He said this reality makes a forward-looking, implementation-driven strategy crucial.

He emphasised the legislature’s central role in strengthening security, noting that the 10th National Assembly had passed far-reaching laws on defence, policing, intelligence coordination, cybersecurity and counter-terrorism. 

Parliament, he said, had also improved agency mandates, enhanced inter-agency synergy and prioritised the welfare of security personnel.

But he cautioned that legislation alone is insufficient.

“We must invest in people, technology, training and strategic partnerships,” he said. “We must replace short-term firefighting with long-term planning. That is why this Strategic Plan matters,  because it translates intent into action and action into measurable results.”

Akpabio noted that security cannot be achieved by government alone, insisting it requires the commitment of citizens, communities, traditional institutions, the private sector and international partners. 

The new plan, he noted, stands out because it adopts a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach.

National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, represented by the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, said the strategy is the product of extensive research and inter-agency collaboration involving ministries, security institutions, academia, civil society groups and global partners.

He said the vision of the NCTC is to establish itself as a regional centre of excellence for counter-terrorism and the prevention of violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel.

The NSA added that the plan provides a unified, coordinated and measurable framework for tackling emerging threats and ensuring that Nigeria strengthens its leadership in regional security cooperation.

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