The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, has on Wednesday, trained its staff on Preventing and  Countering Violence Extremism (PCVE) in Nigeria.

While declaring open the one-day training programme in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, mni, NPOM; said the capacity building was organised by the Ministry to  sensitise staff on how to Prevent and Counter violence extremism in the country.

Represented by the Director, Legal Services of the Ministry, Barr. Garba Haganawega: the Permanent Secretary said Nigeria is facing serious threat from violence extremism, targeting individual groups and the state.

Continuing, he said the threat undermined political stability, economic development, Social Progress and National  and human security, and peaceful coexistence. These activities have claimed thousands of  lives and property and have forced million citizens to flee their homes, thereby creating a large population of Internally Displaced Persons and Refugees.

Reflecting on the huge humanitarian, political and developmental challenges caused by violence extremism, he said, Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons have suffered repeatedly over the past years and are still suffering from Boko Haram attacks and other forms of violence both man-made and natural displacement.

The Government have have articulated broad policy to provide direction to tackle the menace of violence extremism in the country.

The training is to enhance knowledge and prevent wrong narratives by educating the Staff on Preventing and countering violence extremism.

The training is in collaboration with  the Office of the Security Adviser (ONSA). Resource Persons were drawn from the Office of the Minister of State FCT, International Organisation on Migration (IOM), Operation Safe Corridor (OPSC) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), made presentations on different topics such as New Approaches of PCVE and plans of Action on PCVE; Prevention Strategies, Stages of Radicalization and Role of Education in PVE; and Deradicalisation, Rehabilitation and Integration Process.

Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Hon. Minister of State FCT, on security and counter terrorism, Maryam Ikunaiye, expressed her gratitude to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, for organizing capacity building on Preventing and Countering Violence Extremism  (PCVE).

She said in 2016, the  United Nations had made effort for a holistic  Security approach that includes Systematic Preventive steps to address the conditions that drive individuals to radicalize and join  Violence extremism. She added that President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, felt dialogue would be the best option in line with global practice as Preventive measures.

The Heads Government of Commonwealth Nations and ONSA agreed on a non-coercive approach as the drivers of Violence extremism that targets communities.

As a result of the above effort  Ministries, Department and Agencies were charged to establish PCVE Desk to address PCVE matters and be conversant with PCVE to carry out  management  against  conditions conducive for radicalization and Violence extremism.

Those present at the Programme include the the Head of Press Unit of the Ministry, Rhoda Ishaku Iliya; Assistant Director Special Duties, Dinatu Wuyah; Chairman, Steering Committee on Pave Network , Jaye Gaskiya; Representatives of International Organisation on Migration, Andrew Dacosta; and Abdul Odumu, Representative of Operation Safe Corridor; Yetunde Olobayo, ndc; and other dignitaries andparticipants.