International Counter-Terrorism Cooperation and National Security in Nigeria

Abstract

This paper is predicated on the premise that globally there exist the requisite military capacity and economic resources to effectively and  decisively prosecute the global war on terror. International terrorist groups, however, can only be brought to their knees through  concerted international collaborations based on levels of global commitment and action that are much higher than what presently  obtains. The paper, therefore, identifies and discusses several counter-terrorism initiatives at national, regional and international levels  and the prospects surrounding them. It argues that to achieve optimum impactful outcomes for counter-terrorism cooperation initiatives, the first line of action must be an affirmative action toward obliterating the social-economic and political conditions and  circumstances that facilitate the emergence and growth of terrorists and terrorism. Economic and political deprivations, marginalisation  and oppression are the crucibles in which terrorists are incubated and nurtured. There is, therefore, the urgent imperative for a critical  review and rededication to the global development agenda, with the world’s leading financial, trade, investment and technological institutions as well reappraising their modus operandi. A new international economic and financial order is called for, to mitigate the  current tendency of the forces of globalisation leaving behind the bulk of humanity who, almost invariably, end up as easy catches for  terrorist organisations. To deprive terrorist groups of access to this almost unlimited stock of potential recruits, the conditions of global  poverty and misery, illiteracy and disease and the lack of access to education and other critical economic empowerment and support   infrastructure must be addressed.