Buhari to World leaders: Prevent young people from turning to terror

By Funmi Ajumobi reporting from UNGA70, New York

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday told World leaders to find a way to prevent young people from turning to terror. At the Global Leaders’ Summit on ‘Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism’  Buhari said violent extremism do not exist in a vacuum but are often part of communities and families and are lured into the fold of barbaric and nihilistic organizations through a misguided appeal to their worst fears, expectations and apparent frustrations.

“Member States need to address local socio-economic grievances by formulating policies that would ensure broad-based transformation through job creation, equalization of opportunities and expanding access to social services”. He added

Thanking President Obama for organising this important meeting which he said the timing is appropriate and the subject matter warrants close attention as the threats posed by ISIL in the Middle East, and violent extremism elsewhere, are an existential danger to many States.

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari addresses the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly September 28, 2015 at the United Nations in New York. AFP
President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari addresses the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly September 28, 2015 at the United Nations in New York. AFP
“ISIL is a serious threat to international peace and security and should be treated as such. There can be no half measures or expedient solutions in dealing with terrorists and extremists.They respect no laws, and have no regard to the sanctity of lives and property. They operate outside law and must be seen for what they are and dealt with appropriately”.

Buhari said the increase in violence and terrorism by ISIL and other groups has enticed and emboldened insurgent groups in Africa to pledge allegiance to gain local traction adding that the Boko Haram terrorist group, operating in the Lake Chad Basin area, which is currently on the Al-Qaida sanctions list, pledged its allegiance to ISIL in March 2015.

He said Boko Haram action is an indication of the weakening operational capability of the group and could also suggest that it was a strategic move to attract foreign fighters into its fold, and obtain assistance from ISIL saying that whatever the reason was for the declaration of allegiance, one thing is certain: Boko Haram terrorist group wants to be drawn into the centre stage of global terrorism because the development has led not only to a shift in strategy, but also to changes in ideology, recruitment and propaganda methods by Boko Haram.

Noting with satisfaction the efforts of the United Nations and the rest of the international community to contain ISIL, Buhari said there is need to take military action combined with effective border security, intelligence collection and sharing, and vigorous policing action adding that these alone may not suffice, but they can certainly stem the tide and reverse the process of recruitment, movement and effective operation of foreign terrorist fighters and their associated radical extremists.

On terrorists finance, Buhari advised international community to work together to deter and disrupt illicit financial flows from nations with weak anti–theft structures to other parts of the world adding that where such funds are identified, the victim State should be assisted to recover them expeditiously.

In his remark the Secretary General Ban Ki- Moon noted that v iolent extremist groups including Da’esh and Boko Haram – pose a direct threat to international security, mercilessly target women and girls, and undermine universal values of peace, justice and human dignity as the growing threat shows a 70 per cent increase in foreign terrorist fighters from over 100 countries to regions in conflict.

Ban Ki-Moon said addressing this challenge goes to the heart of the mission of the United Nations, and it requires a unified response because violent extremism flourishes when human rights are violated, aspirations for inclusion are ignored, and too many people especially the world’s young people with their hopes and dreams lack prospects and meaning in their lives.

He added that the newly adopted Sustainable Development Goals also echo the voices of people and critically include a goal for peace, justice and strong institutions which he said the objective must be to go beyond countering violent extremism to preventing it in the first place.

Ban Ki-Moon advised world leaders need to engage religious leaders, women leaders, leaders in the arts, music and sports and make a special effort to reach young people where they live, share ideas and communicate. He said on social media, there is need to offer a counter-weight to the siren songs that promise adventure, but deliver horror and that promise meaning, but create more misery.

He urge leaders to listen very carefully to the grievances and aspirations of their people and address them and must be guided by the moral compass of our common values and respect for international law and human rights is non-negotiable