Nasarawa Govt to collaborate with Colombia on counterterrorism

The Nasarawa State Government is forging a partnership with Colombia to bolster peacebuilding initiatives and combat violent extremism within the state. Governor Abdullahi Sule announced the strengthening of ties during a meeting with a Colombian delegation and officials from Nigeria's National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Lafia. This collaboration is designed to leverage Colombia's extensive experience in addressing challenges related to reintegration, reconciliation, and the crucial inclusion of women in peacebuilding processes. Governor Sule acknowledged Colombia's past struggles and commended its success in overcoming them, expressing confidence that Nasarawa would greatly benefit from these lessons. He directed relevant government bodies to participate in a two-day workshop, adopting a train-the-trainer approach to disseminate the knowledge gained from the Colombian experts. The initiative is part of Nigeria's broader South-South Cooperation (SSC) with Colombia. Amb. Abimbola Wonosikou, Director for Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at NCTC, highlighted Nasarawa's selection for this mission due to its unique security context. Colombian delegation leader Mariana Hernández emphasized the exchange of experiences and learning opportunities at the workshop, which is specifically designed to empower 80 women affected by various forms of violent extremism in Nasarawa.

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Nasarawa was selected for the mission because of its unique security context.