Nigeria: NCTC and NECSOB Launch Partnership to Strengthen Nigeria's Whole-of-Society Response to Terrorism

What the report says

Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), which operates under the Office of the National Security Adviser, and the Network of Civil Society Organisations in Borno State (NECSOB) have announced a new partnership aimed at strengthening the country’s response to terrorism and violent extremism. The report, published by Premium Times and distributed by AllAfrica, said the initiative was launched on 16 September 2026 in Abuja.

According to the source, the arrangement links the NCTC’s national coordination role with NECSOB’s network of more than 200 civil society groups working with communities in the North-East. The two sides said they plan to cooperate on public awareness, community engagement and efforts to promote peace, social cohesion and national security objectives.

The partnership is presented as part of a broader “whole-of-society” approach, reflecting the idea that counterterrorism is not only a task for security agencies but also for citizens, community leaders, faith groups, educators, youth organisations and the media. The report says the goal is to build trust, resilience and closer cooperation between communities and security actors.

The announcement also follows other NCTC collaborations, including work with the Partnership Against Violent Extremism network. In practical terms, the new agreement appears intended to extend outreach in regions affected by insecurity, especially in north-eastern Nigeria, where civil society organisations have long played a role in local engagement and recovery efforts.