The National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Maj.-Gen. Adamu Garba Laka, on Wednesday, confirmed the arrest of some suspects who specialised in the manufacturing of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) being used by terrorists in the country.

Gen. Adamu Garba Laka, who disclosed this during an interview on Wednesday at a symposium on Countering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), organised by the centre in collaboration with the United States and British Governments, in Abuja, added that the federal government, through the centre, had also commenced a judicial process to prosecute those implicated, and upon conviction, they would face punishment as prescribed by the law of the land.

He explained that due to the threat posed by IEDs, the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has taken steps to regulate the use of materials like urea fertiliser in the North East, which terrorists exploit to manufacture IEDs.

According to him, ?But this hasn?t stopped the threat because the insurgents have been able to get things from the market, common things, to manufacture these IEDs, and so on. But we won?t relent on our part. We will keep educating the population.

?So, we are developing a biometric database at the Office of the National Security Adviser. We are working closely with all the security and intelligence agencies. This biometric database is going to be used to identify those who are experts in manufacturing these IEDs. We are working closely with the US and British governments on that and other security and intelligence agencies.

?And on punishments for those who are manufacturing these IEDs, we have identified a few, and they are presently awaiting the judicial process. We won?t just punish them on our own. Nigeria is a signatory to international human rights laws and best practices, and so on. So we follow the rule of law. They are innocent until proven guilty. So we have to go through the judicial process.?

He pointed out that the NCTC had remained proactive in its approach to tackling the menace of IEDs in the country.

He said the Federal Government?s collaboration with foreign partners has yielded results with the establishment of a counter IED centre in Maiduguri, Borno State, by the British Government.

According to him, ?they have been training our troops for the past four years, and this has greatly impacted the proficiency of our troops in identifying IEDs, preventing such incidents and also reacting after such an incident. Samples are taken from the IED site to our laboratory at the centre to find out those materials that are used so that we will be able to know where our focus will be on restricting such materials from getting into the wrong hands.?

He further added that the government was working closely with the US government to establish a similar IED centre soon.

The NCTC boss said the symposium was both timely and critical, as it provides a platform for experts and stakeholders to deliberate on innovative strategies to counter this threat.

?Our collective goal is to enhance national capabilities in preventing, detecting, and responding to Improvised Explosive Devices incidents,? he said.

?The provision of external expertise in this field would also complement Nigeria?s experience and proficiency in assessing whether a National Counter Improvised Explosive Devices Strategy would be beneficial for implementation in Nigeria. We must examine the existing gaps, address the vulnerabilities in our operational environments, and improve coordination among key agencies.?

The US ?efence Attach? to Nigeria, who represented the US Ambassador to Nigeria, Colonel Thomas Brooks, said the US remained a committed security partner to the Nigerian military, and would continue to assist Nigeria to defeat the challenging threat of IEDs in the country.

Experts have identified IEDs as a major threat to troops, civilians, and infrastructure in the fight against terrorism in the country.

Speaking while declaring open the symposium, Gen Adamu Laka had warned that the use of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) remains one of the gravest threats to Nigeria?s security personnel and national stability.

He highlig?ted the devastating impact of IEDs on both military operations and civilian infrastructure, saying ?their impact extends beyond the front lines to civilian populations, critical infrastructure.?

The NCTC Coordinator noted that the growing ease of fabricating IEDs using commercially available materials has made them a persistent and evolving challenge for security forces.

The symposium, organised in collaboration with the British High Commission and the United States Embassy, aims to develop a national strategy to counter the threat effectively.

Gen. Laka emphasised the importance of strengthening Nigeria?s counterterrorism efforts through collaboration, intelligence sharing, and capacity-building.

He called on security agencies to examine existing gaps and improve coordination to prevent, detect, and respond to IED incidents more efficiently.

With the increasing use of IEDs by terrorist groups, the symposium is expected to foster discussions on innovative countermeasures and enhance Nigeria?s preparedness against the growing threat. (Nigerian Tribune)

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