Nigeria’s insecurity: Prof Ibrahim Gambari, Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative UN ex-top official sends message to Buhari govt

Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, has advised the Federal Government to make war against terrorism one of its priorities in the country’s foreign policy.

Gambari gave the advice on Wednesday in Abuja while delivering a lecture at the 2019 Annual Lecture of the Association of Foreign Relations Professionals of Nigeria (AFRPN).

Gambari explained that terrorism had become a global scourge requiring coordinated efforts to be combated at national, regional, continental and global levels.

NAN quoted him as explaining that the development had huge impacts on foreign policy and foreign policy process in all countries, including Nigeria.

“Terrorism is a major challenge in the global environment with activities and attacks of terrorist groups such as Boko Haram, Al Shabab, ISIS, Al-Qaida.

“Since terrorism respects no territorial boundaries, we must not allow such boundaries to be constrained in combating it.

“Therefore, in developing framework and action plans to combat terrorism and violent extremist groups in the sub-region, a multifaceted and comprehensive approach must be developed.

“This includes degrading their military capabilities and implementing peace building strategies which would address ignorance, a leading factor for terrorist recruits, spreading of conflict, poverty, unemployment, injustices and social inequality,” Gambari said.

In addition to combating terrorism, the former envoy said that Nigeria’s foreign policy should include development agenda, Foreign Service reform, Nigeria’s external economic and trade relations as well as utilising Nigerians in Diaspora.

He further explained that Nigeria must go beyond the slogan of “economic diplomacy” to mobilising its national potentials toward the development of the country.