The Federal Government has unveiled plans to strengthen interagency coordination and deepen community engagement as key pillars of the revised National Counter-Terrorism Strategy 2025.
Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday at the final validation exercise for the draft strategy, National Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, said the updated framework was designed to improve collaboration among security agencies and foster public participation in preventing and responding to terrorism.
“The review of the National Counter-Terrorism Strategy represents a reaffirmation of our whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach to counter-terrorism. It emphasises prevention alongside response, strengthens interagency coordination, and embeds resilience, inclusivity, and community engagement at the core of our security architecture,” Laka said.
He explained that the review process, which began in February 2025, went through multiple stages of consultation, including workshops, committee reviews, and stakeholder engagements involving ministries, departments and agencies, civil society groups, academia, and international partners.
According to Laka, the validation workshop was intended to ensure that the strategy was “clear, realistic, and implementable” while reflecting national priorities and meeting international standards.
“We are here to confirm that every section of the strategy addresses the evolving threats we face and that it is a document we can all take ownership of,” he added.
Laka thanked all stakeholders for their dedication and collaborative input, noting that the strategy would proceed to editing and publication after validation.
Speaking, the Director Policy and Strategy NCTC, Commodore Ahmad Madawaki, said the strategy is anchored on two main pillars, the whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches.
“The whole-of-government ensures that our counterterrorism efforts are coordinated, comprehensive, and effective.
“The whole-of-society, on the other hand, engages communities, civil society organisations, and the private sector in building trust, promoting social cohesion, and countering extremist narratives, ” he said.
Madawaki noted that the review incorporates good practices, gender inclusivity, and human rights, with input from UN Women and other stakeholders, to ensure the strategy is “inclusive, threat-responsive, and aligned with international best practices.”
He stressed that all ministries, departments, and agencies must understand their roles in implementing the strategy once it is launched, adding that grassroots involvement is critical.
“We recognise the importance of grassroots involvement, and the Centre will ensure that state and local governments are actively engaged in the review process, especially in the final phases,” he said.
Madawaki also called for continued international support, saying, “Terrorism is a global phenomenon that requires international cooperation and support. The impact of the work that you do here today will resonate beyond the walls of this room.”
