CDS Launches Student Initiative to Combat Violent Extremism

General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, has officially launched a student organisation aimed at addressing violent extremist and insurgency ideologies. This initiative is part of a broader non-kinetic strategy to combat ideologically driven terrorism in the North-East region.

During a one-day multi-sector conference in Maiduguri, Borno State, the Chief of Defence Staff urged students, youths, and the civilian population to leverage social media to challenge ideologies that promote terrorism and criminal activities, which pose a threat to the nation’s unity.

The one-day conference serves as a continuation of a prior meeting where the project, Students Against Violent Extremism (SAVE 1&2), was initiated for secondary school students, tertiary institution students, and youth in Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe States.

This year’s meeting, themed “Countering extremist ideology, insurgency and terrorism in the northeast,” will feature the inauguration of the students’ group and the launch of a book titled “Taking A Stand Against Insurgency and Terrorism Among Others,” authored by the CDS.

The Chief of Defence Staff highlighted the importance of stakeholders in documenting the achievements in counterinsurgency operations in the northeast. He stressed the necessity of engaging youths and students early on to promote counter-insurgency ideologies as part of a non-kinetic approach to security.

GeneR. Musa urged the youth to act as non-combatant soldiers by promoting intelligence-driven interactions with the Nigerian armed forces, leveraging social media to advocate for peace and counterinsurgency efforts.

Previously, the Founder and Convener of the conference, Ummukaltum Mohammed, addressed the SAVE 1&2 project and emphasised the necessity for a comprehensive strategy to combat the ideologies of Boko Haram and other extremist groups.

The military chief, following numerous comments from stakeholders, civil society organisations, and representatives of the Borno and Yobe state governments, officially inaugurated the group and launched the book.

Subsequently, General Musa visited injured soldiers at the Maimalari military hospital, where a benefactor contributed donations to the wounded heroes and committed to constructing housing for them.

Student representatives and youth groups from Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa States were inaugurated into the SAVE teams 1 and 2, and they were encouraged to serve as ambassadors of peace throughout the states.