UNGA 81: Nigeria Makes Case for Sustained Support for Victims of Extremism

The Minister of Defence of Nigeria, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has implored the international community to transition from short-term humanitarian relief to sustained support for victims and survivors of violence extremism. This plea was made at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of Victims of Terrorism, convened by Spain and Iraq during the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

General Musa highlighted that sub-Saharan Africa, including Nigeria, has borne the brunt of terrorism, accounting for roughly 60% of global terrorism-related deaths in 2025. He emphasized the devastating impact of terrorism, stating that families are displaced, livelihoods are destroyed, and communities are fractured. To address this, the Defence Minister underscored Nigeria's commitment to accountability, having secured 865 terrorism-related convictions in 2026 alone.

He reiterated the country's dedication to liberating captives and providing comprehensive post-rescue support, including medical care, psychosocial rehabilitation, economic assistance, and community reintegration.

Drawing from Nigeria's experiences, General Musa proposed a three-point framework to bolster international cooperation: enhanced peer learning, inclusive partnerships, and targeted United Nations support. He advocated for establishing institutional mechanisms for Member States to share operational models, referral systems, and lessons learned, including critical evaluations of unsuccessful methods.

The minister also stressed the importance of direct feedback channels and strengthening collaborations between national authorities, civil society organizations, and victim associations to ensure meaningful survivor involvement in justice and rehabilitation processes. Lastly, he called for expanded United Nations technical assistance, capacity-building, and resource allocation, tailored to countries most affected by terrorism.