Changing strategy in the war against terror is inevitable-NEP RC.
By Asal Media Reporter
The Northeastern Regional Commissioner John Otieno said that the world is dynamic and with emerging technology, the terrorist groups have over time changed their tact and are now involved in targeted attacks that is intelligence led.
He was speaking to the press at a Garissa hotel today after opening a two days’ workshop organized by the National Counter Terrorism Centre to review the national strategy in countering violence extremism. The document was developed in 2016.
The administrator noted that the document has ‘served the country well noting that there is need to enrich it further so that it serves us now and in the future’.
The region has witnessed a series of attacks orchestrated by the militants. Several police officers, police reservists and civilians have lost their lives. Communication masts for mobile telephone operators have also been blown away.
The effect of violent extremism has paralyzed the operation of essential services like schools, health, roads and even businesses.
The meeting that brought together county security teams from Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Tana River and Kitui and Garissa counties, youth, women, religious leaders, civil society, county governments is supported by The Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF) in partnership with The National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) and Act Change Transform.
The regional commissioner thanked area residents for providing credible information that has helped security agents to prevent attacks and further urging them to continue with the same spirit.
He was however quick to urge a few who might be working with Al-Shabaab to ‘change and work with the government’ because this our country we have everything to lose for lack of security.
Otieno said that war on terror is both soft and hard approach. The hard approach is the security approach while the soft approach is bringing on board the religious leaders, the political leaders, youth and the civil society and all other relevant groups so that we can be able to preach the message of de-radicalization to the youth.
On his part, the head of prevention and resilience at NCTC Njega Miiri said that the media plays a critical role in countering violent extremism by propagating the messages that preach and security to the citizenry.
Miiri said that NCTC is looking for collaboration from the communities, leadership and the media in countering violent extremism among the youth in the region and the country at large
“We implore upon the media to reach the out to the people with the correct messages and information. The enemy will always try to propagate a lot information and disinformation and half-truths,” Miiri said.
“On our part we need to collaborate and partner so that our communities out there can get the correct information,” he added.
