The Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (rtd.), has called on the international community to establish long-term support systems for victims and survivors of violent extremism in Nigeria and other countries affected by terrorism.
Musa made the call on Wednesday at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The meeting was co-convened by Spain and Iraq.
According to a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the minister urged a shift from short-term humanitarian relief measures to sustainable interventions capable of supporting victims and survivors over the long term.
Musa highlighted the disproportionate impact of terrorism on Africa, noting that Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for approximately 60 per cent of global terrorism-related deaths in 2025.
“Behind these figures are families displaced, livelihoods destroyed, communities fractured, and lives permanently changed,” he said.
He added: “Our task now is to ensure that the identified priorities and needs of victims, as well as lessons and good practices, are translated into sustained action.”
Highlighting Nigeria’s efforts in counter-terrorism and justice, Musa disclosed that the country had secured 865 terrorism-related convictions in 2026 alone, describing the development as evidence of Nigeria’s commitment to accountability.
He reaffirmed that the Federal Government continued to prioritise the liberation of captives while providing comprehensive post-rescue support, including medical care, psychosocial rehabilitation, economic assistance and community reintegration.
Drawing from Nigeria’s experience in combating terrorism, the minister proposed a three-point framework for strengthening international cooperation: enhanced peer learning, inclusive partnerships and targeted United Nations support.
On enhanced peer learning, Musa advocated institutional mechanisms through which member states could share operational models, referral systems and lessons learned, including honest assessments of approaches that had failed to achieve their intended outcomes.
He also stressed the importance of establishing direct feedback channels and partnerships among national authorities, civil society organisations and victims’ associations to ensure meaningful survivor participation in justice and rehabilitation efforts.
Musa further called for expanded United Nations technical assistance, capacity building and resource mobilisation tailored to countries bearing the greatest burdens of terrorism.
The minister commended United Nations initiatives supporting victims of terrorism, including the UNOCT Global Victims of Terrorism Support Programme and the Victims of Terrorism Associations Network (VoTAN).
He also acknowledged Germany’s support for the development of the Toolkit for Technology-Enabled Support to Victims of Terrorism, describing such initiatives as important contributions to strengthening international support for victims and survivors.
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