Godswill Akpabio, the Senate President on Monday declared that Nigeria’s newly unveiled Counter Terrorism Strategic Plan 2025–2030 signals an end to the cycle of reactive, fragmented responses that have allowed terrorism and violent extremism to persist for over a decade.
At the formal launch of the plan—developed by the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in the Office of the National Security Adviser—Akpabio said the document represents a critical turning point for Nigeria’s national security posture.
He described the unveiling not as another ceremonial policy launch but as “a defining moment in the nation’s journey,” adding, “It is a moment when Nigeria again reaffirms that our people deserve to live without fear, that our children deserve a future of peace, and that our nation must be secured to prosper.”
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Positioning the plan as a response to one of the most urgent questions confronting the country, he said: “For ours, the question is clear: How do we secure our nation, safeguard our people and set Nigeria irreversibly on the path of peace, growth and stability?”
According to him, the 2025–2030 strategy offers more than broad intentions.
“The Strategic Plan 2025–2030 answers this question with vision, discipline and ambition. It offers a framework for transforming our institutions, modernising our security architecture, strengthening national resilience and expanding partnerships across government, industry, civil society and the international community.”
Akpabio warned that insecurity continues to undermine the country’s development trajectory, saying he has witnessed firsthand how violence shuts down schools, empties farmlands and chases investors away.
“As President of the Senate,” he said, “I have seen how insecurity weakens the foundations of development. Investors withdraw, schools close, farmers abandon their fields, and hope retreats from the hearts of our young people.
“That is why a pragmatic, forward-looking and implementation-driven plan such as this is timely, necessary and welcome.”
He stressed that while security is a shared constitutional responsibility, the legislature plays a pivotal role in equipping national institutions with the tools they need. He noted that the 10th National Assembly has passed landmark reforms across defence, policing, cybersecurity and intelligence coordination.
But he cautioned that legislation alone will not solve Nigeria’s security crisis.
“We must invest in people, technology, training and strategic partnerships. We must replace short-term firefighting with long-term planning. That is why this Strategic Plan matters. because it translates intent into action and action into measurable results.”
He added that the approach succeeds because it goes beyond federal agencies. “It recognises that security is not the duty of government alone, but a shared responsibility of citizens, communities, traditional institutions, the private sector, and international allies.
“It stands out because it reflects a Whole-of-Government and Whole-of-Society approach.”
Representing the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, the Coordinator of the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, Adamu Laka, said the plan is a product of extensive research, inter-agency collaboration and wide-ranging consultations.
He noted that the vision behind the document is to position the NCTC as a regional powerhouse. According to him, the goal is to establish the Centre “as a regional centre of excellence in countering terrorism and violent extremism in West Africa and the Sahel.”
