Katsina Government Reaffirms Support for Anti-Extremism Initiatives
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- Katsina City News
- 25 Jul, 2024
- 473
In a bid to enhance efforts against terrorism in Northwestern Nigeria, a delegation from Abuja paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Katsina State, Dr. Dikko Umar Radda. The delegation, led by Ambassador Mairo Musa Abbas, Director of the Directorate of Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, sought the Governor's support for ongoing anti-extremism initiatives in the region.
The delegation conveyed the regards of the National Security Adviser, Retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police Mallam Nuhu Ribadu. During the visit, Amb. Abbas highlighted significant projects approved by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in 2022 and funded by the Global Community Engagement and Resilient Fund (GCERF). These projects are being implemented by three organizations: Action Aid in Kano and Kaduna, North East Youth Initiative for Development (NEYIF) in Sokoto, and Women Environmental Programme (WEP) in Katsina.
Amb. Abbas emphasized the need for government support to ensure the sustainability of these projects. She commended Governor Rada for establishing the Katsina State Community Watch Corps, which has significantly improved civilian protection and state security.
One of the key projects mentioned was WEP's "Strengthening Advocacy Against Violent Extremism (SAVE)" initiative, conducted in partnership with the Murna Foundation. This project, running from 2022 to June 2024, has reached over 30,000 beneficiaries in four local government areas: Funtua, Dutsin-Ma, Musawa, and Jibia. The project includes mentoring 400 young men and women in entrepreneurship and resilience-building, as well as providing women with business loans through Safe Space initiatives.
Despite these efforts, Katsina State continues to face significant challenges. The Multidimensional Poverty Index indicates that approximately 72.7% of the state's population, or 6.92 million people, are living in multidimensional poverty. This economic hardship, combined with increased activities of extremist groups, underscores the urgency of seeking further government support.
In conclusion, the delegation reiterated their call for maximum support from the Katsina State government to ensure the sustainability of GCERF-funded projects and to strengthen community resilience against violent extremism.
The Secretary to the Government of Katsina State, on behalf of the Governor, welcomed the delegation and expressed satisfaction with these important initiatives. Barista Abdullahi Garba Faskari highlighted the efforts of the Katsina State government in addressing security challenges through various measures.
The meeting, held at the office of the Secretary to the Government of Katsina State in the main secretariat, was attended by the Commander 17 Brigade, Brigadier O. A Fadiro, Commissioner of Internal Security, representatives of civil society organizations, security officials, journalists, among others.