VICTIMS SUPPORT FUND AND THE NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY, KADUNA HOLD A 3 DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “INSURGENCY AND COUNTER INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON BOKO HARAM”

VICTIMS SUPPORT FUND AND THE NIGERIAN DEFENCE ACADEMY, KADUNA HOLD A 3 DAY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON “INSURGENCY AND COUNTER INSURGENCY IN NIGERIA: CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON BOKO HARAM”

The Victims Support Fund (VSF), Abuja and the Nigeria Defence Academy, (NDA) Kaduna, organised an international conference with the theme “Insurgency and Counter Insurgency in Nigeria: Critical Perspectives on Boko Haram,” in a continued bid to better understand and seek lasting solution to the protracted insurgency in the Northeast.

The 3-day high-level event which started March 17 2020 was opened by the Vice President of Nigeria, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo and had as keynote speaker General Martin L. Agwai. In attendance were dignitaries from the National Assembly, security chiefs, defence and intelligence establishments, scholars, humanitarian and development sector experts, civil society organizations, the media, public and private sector representatives, and participants from the foreign and diplomatic community.

The main objective of the international conference is “to critically evaluate the nature, evolution and root causes of Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria, as well as the external ramifications for Nigeria, Africa and the world”. The event will in addition “critically examine the national architecture for counter-insurgency with a view to understanding its structure, operations, and functionality as well as proffer solutions for defence and strategic security policy”.

The conference which took place at NAF Conference Centre, Kado – Abuja, is jointly organized by Victims Support Fund and the Centre for Defense Studies and Documentation (CDSD) Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna to address key areas in the war against insurgency such as emerging conceptual issues on insurgency and counter-insurgency; the origins, evolution and dynamics of the Boko Haram Insurgency; Key challenges in the local and international management of insurgency; National institutional preparedness and responses for dealing with terrorism and insurgency in Nigeria; post-conflict peacebuilding; the implications of Boko Haram insurgency for National security in Nigeria amongst other things.

Impelled by the mandate to provide succor to victims of the insurgency and armed conflict, since 2015, VSF has been providing humanitarian support to the people of the Northeast, especially in the areas of livelihood and recovery, education and protection, infrastructural development as well as research and peacebuilding.

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