Maj.-Gen. Richard Gyane, the commandant, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Accra, Ghana, says the ECOWAS sub-region is now the global epicentre of violent extremism and terrorism (VET).

Mr Gyane stated this during the closing ceremony of a training course for Defence and Security Sector Actors (DSSA) on violent extremism and terrorism, organised by KAIPTC in Abuja on Saturday.

He said the capacity-building training, organised in collaboration with ECOWAS and the German and Nigerian governments, was to enable participants to share invaluable insights on VET, which currently threatens ECOWAS, Africa and humanity.

Mr Gyane noted that the participants’ active participation and engagement in the course had reaffirmed KAIPTC’s unwavering commitment and strategies to prevent and counter VET in West Africa.

“As we have seen, our region has unfortunately become a hotspot for global terrorism, demanding swift, coordinated, and comprehensive responses.

“The discussions and exercises over the course of this training have demonstrated your dedication to developing robust strategies to address these challenges.

“And I’m very confident that the knowledge you have gained here will serve as a cornerstone in your respective missions going forward.

“The connections you have established with one another across institutions are just as important as the lessons you have learnt,” he said.

The commandant noted that collaboration was key to tackling VET and encouraged the graduates to continue working together in shaping solutions that would benefit their respective countries and the entire ECOWAS sub-region.

He reminded them that they were meticulously selected for the course, not only to share invaluable insights but also to exhibit a spirit of collaboration and unwavering commitment to the course.

“As you depart from this course, I urge you to take the lessons and insights gained here back to your respective institutions.

“Let this experience inspire you to become even greater and stronger advocates and actors in the fight against violent extremism and terrorism.

“The solutions you have developed here hold the potential to create meaningful and positive change in your communities and beyond,” Mr Gyane said.

Mr Gyane said the course had enriched their understanding of the complexities surrounding VET and was a remarkable convergence of minds and hearts dedicated to tackling one of the most pressing challenges facing the area.

“The diverse expertise from seasoned defence and security professionals to emerging voices in counterterrorism has enriched our collective understanding of the complexities surrounding violent extremism and terror,” he added.

He urged them to leverage the experience they had garnered to become greater and stronger advocates and actors in the fight against VET and replicate it in their various security sectors to create positive changes.

A participant, Navy Commander UAF Ephraim of the Nigerian Navy, described the training as “interactive and impactful” and promised to replicate the same experience in his office on his return.

Patience Dakop, an assistant superintendent of police from the Nigerian Police Force, said the course had broadened her knowledge of VET, the enormity of West Africa’s security challenges and how to tackle them.

(NAN)