The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has inaugurated a student group to counter violent extremist and insurgency ideologies as part of the non-kinetic approach to conquering ideological-based terrorism in the North-East region.
Speaking at a one-day multi-sector conference in Maiduguri, Borno State, the CDS charges students, youths, and the civilian populace to take advantage of the social media space to counter ideologies promoting terrorism and criminalities thereby threatening the corporate existence of the nation.
He said, “We must not underestimate the power of social media. Today’s digital platforms do not merely shape opinions, they influence behaviour and identity in ways that shift values and belief systems, often leaving the populace with conflicting identities and values alien to our societies.
“Who would have thought from decades ago that Nigerians will become suicide bombers. Today, these people stare us in the face, and we must stop it.”
“Therefore, you must use social media responsibly as a tool for acquiring knowledge and skills, promoting peace, supporting security forces, and condemning terrorism and all violent crimes.”
The one-day conference is a follow-up to a previous meeting in which a project, Students Against Violent Extremism (SAVE 1&2) was launched for students of secondary schools, tertiary institutions, and youths in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.
This year’s meeting, with the theme, “Countering extremist ideology, insurgency and terrorism in the northeast,” sees to the inauguration of the students’ group and also the launch of a book titled, “Taking A Stand Against Insurgency and Terrorism Among Others,” written by the CDS.
While extolling the role of stakeholders in recording the successes gained in the counterinsurgency operations in the northeast, the Chief of Defence Staff emphasised the need to recruit youths and students at an early stage to champion counter-insurgency ideologies as a component of the non-kinetic approach to security.
General Musa charged the youth to be non-combatant soldiers by ensuring intelligence-driven engagement with the troops of the Nigerian armed forces while using the power of social media to drive home peace and counterinsurgency advocacy.
He said, “Be advocates for truth; fight disinformation and misinformation because the battle against violent extremism is largely non-kinetic and heavily reliant on civic awareness, media influence, and social responsibilities.
“The armed forces of Nigeria and other agencies cannot be everywhere at once, and we cannot do it alone; we need all of you working with us together. This reality makes the anticipation, vigilance, and support from the populace imperative, not as combatants, but as vital drivers of non-kinetic roles in our collective security framework.
“This is the time for every citizen to speak out against any suspicious activity. Silence is no longer an option.
“The people who are critical stakeholders in intelligence gathering; while you might not wear uniforms or carry weapons, the information you hold and the vigilance you show can make all the difference.”
Earlier, the Founder and Convener of the conference, Ummukaltum Mohammed, spoke on the SAVE 1&2 project and the need for a multifaceted approach to countering the Boko Haram and other extremist groups’ ideologies.
The military chief, after several remarks by stakeholders, civil society groups, and representatives of Borno and Yobe state governments, inaugurated the group and launched the book.
Afterward, General Musa visited wounded troops at the Maimalari military hospital where a philanthropist made donations to the wounded heroes and pledged to build houses for them.
Student representatives and youth groups from Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States were inaugurated into the SAVE teams 1 and 2 and were urged to be ambassadors of peace across the states.
