Abuja:Nigeria has urged for increased regional efforts to combat the use of artificial intelligence, drones, and digital assets by terrorists for activities such as propaganda, recruitment, and financing across West Africa and the Sahel.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Major General Adamu Laka, the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), emphasized the need for regional security agencies to enhance their capabilities in detecting and disrupting digital threats. He made these remarks during the opening of a three-day regional training of trainers event focused on countering terrorists’ use of information and communication technologies.
The training, organized by Nigeria’s Office of the National Security Adviser in collaboration with the African Union Counter-Terrorism Centre and the Sahel’s Fusion and Liaison Unit, aims to equip participants with the skills needed to counter technology-enabled terrorism. Laka highlighted the importance of developing expertise to anticipate and neutralize digital threats before they materialize.
Laka also stated that the NCTC is transitioning into a Regional Centre of Excellence for counterterrorism, aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s declaration at the 2024 High-Level Africa Counterterrorism Summit. This transition will support capacity-building efforts across the region through the AUCTC Continental Cybersecurity Capability Programme 2026-2030.
Participants from various regional organizations, including ECOWAS and the Multinational Joint Task Force, are encouraged to apply the knowledge gained to enhance their countries’ abilities to detect and disrupt the use of emerging technologies by terrorist networks.
Idriss Lallali, Acting Director of the AUCTC, expressed concern about terrorist groups using affordable technologies to bypass government responses, highlighting the roles of social media, cryptocurrencies, and drones in extending terrorists’ operational reach. He stressed the need for deliberate training and stronger coordination to address these challenges effectively.
Ambassador Fatima Abdallah-Arasahi from the UFL, represented by Baba Keita, reiterated the unit’s commitment to regional counterterrorism efforts, emphasizing the importance of cooperation in addressing the use of information and communication technologies by terrorist groups. The training aims to bolster regional expertise in identifying and disrupting such activities.