The leader of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas, reiterated his government’s strong dedication to fighting violent extremism and stopping terrorism financing to create a peaceful atmosphere for development.
Kefas made this statement in Jalingo, the capital city, during a two-day workshop organized by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre with support from the GIABA-ECOWAS Commission.
The workshop aimed to enhance the capabilities of security forces and community networks in recognizing, reporting, preventing, and responding to violent extremism and terrorism financing promptly, bringing together key stakeholders from the region.
Delivering the message on behalf of the administration, Dr Jeji Williams, the Chief of Staff, Government House Administration, stressed that efforts to address the growing security challenges in the state would be stepped up.
He encouraged participants to actively participate in the workshop’s teachings, underlining the significance of their input in providing crucial community feedback necessary to effectively combat these threats.
He praised CISLAC and the GIABA-ECOWAS Commission for their proactive measures in educating communities in Taraba State about the risks of terrorism financing, acknowledging the long-standing issue that demands a collective approach to combat effectively.
In his introductory speech, CISLAC Project Manager, Mr Jimoh Abubakar, outlined the workshop’s goals, stressing the importance of local and community-level dialogues on countering terrorism financing.
Jimoh highlighted that terrorism financing often goes unnoticed within communities, undermining peace and security not just in Taraba State but throughout Nigeria.
The project manager clarified that the project’s objective is to provide stakeholders with the necessary knowledge to understand terrorism financing operations at the community level and develop enduring strategies to tackle it.
Attendees at the workshop included representatives from traditional institutions, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, the Vigilante Group of Nigeria, along with women’s groups, youth organizations, and civil society organizations within Taraba State.