Nigeria has announced that eight rounds of terrorism-related prosecutions have resulted in 775 convictions, reflecting what officials describe as a strong commitment to justice and regional security.
The figure was disclosed in Abuja on Wednesday by Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, head of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), during the opening of a regional conference on tackling emerging extremist groups in West Africa and the Sahel.
Organised jointly with the ECOWAS Commission, the conference has brought together senior security officials, development partners, and policymakers to assess new threats and strengthen cooperation.
Laka said Nigeria’s counterterrorism policy balances legal accountability with non-military measures such as dialogue, reconciliation, and the reintegration of former fighters. “Justice must be served, but we also recognise the need to rebuild trust, empower communities, and give young people alternatives to violence,” he explained.
The NCTC coordinator emphasised that security cannot be achieved through force alone. Lasting stability, he argued, requires addressing the socio-economic drivers of extremism, including joblessness and social exclusion.
He recalled that in April this year, Nigeria hosted the African Counter Terrorism Summit, which recognised the NCTC as a Regional Centre of Excellence. The current meeting, he said, is intended to consolidate that role by producing concrete strategies on intelligence-sharing, managing porous borders, and operationalising an ECOWAS Counterterrorism Force.
Expected outcomes also include integrating youth, civil society, and media actors into regional security frameworks. International organisations, including the United Nations, are also participating in the conference.
