Unveils Post Terrorism Transformation Framework
The Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) has disclosed that Nigeria has suffered more than US$200 billion in undeclared economic, social and developmental losses since the outbreak of the Boko Haram insurgency in 2009, urging the Federal Government to immediately undertake a comprehensive national audit of the hidden costs of terrorism.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, PeacePro said Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts have been measured almost exclusively by the number of terrorists neutralised, weapons recovered and territories reclaimed, while the country’s most devastating losses have remained undocumented and largely ignored.
According to PeacePro, the over $200 billion estimate is a conservative policy assessment based on more than fifteen years of cumulative losses arising from the destruction of public infrastructure, abandoned agricultural production, collapsed businesses, disrupted supply chains, population displacement, reduced investments, interrupted education, environmental degradation, humanitarian expenditure and lost economic opportunities.
Hamzat explained that its estimate was developed through an aggregation of available data from government institutions, international financial organisations, humanitarian agencies, academic studies and independent policy analysis.
PeacePro noted that while international assessments have estimated the direct economic impact of the North-East conflict at well above US$100 billion, Nigeria has never undertaken a comprehensive valuation of indirect national losses, including foregone investments, productivity losses, human capital erosion and long term opportunity costs. When these hidden costs are incorporated over more than fifteen years of conflict, PeacePro said, the cumulative national loss exceeds US$200 billion.
“Nigeria has counted the number of terrorists killed, but it has never counted the true value of what terrorism has taken away from the nation,” Hamzat said.
“Every abandoned farm is an economic casualty. Every destroyed school is a development casualty. Every displaced family is a productivity casualty. Every investor discouraged by insecurity represents a lost opportunity for national growth. These are the hidden casualties of terrorism.”
PeacePro warned that the country’s greatest losses are no longer limited to the battlefield but are increasingly reflected in weakened economic growth, declining investor confidence, food insecurity, rising youth unemployment, psychological trauma, environmental degradation and the erosion of national cohesion.
PeacePro maintained that without a deliberate national recovery strategy, Nigeria risks achieving military victories while suffering long term economic and social decline.
To reverse the trend, PeacePro called for the immediate establishment of a National Recovery and Reconstruction Commission to coordinate the rebuilding of conflict affected communities and implement a National Post Terrorism Transformation Framework.
The proposed framework includes the reconstruction of critical infrastructure, revitalisation of agriculture and local industries, rehabilitation and economic reintegration of internally displaced persons, nationwide trauma healing programmes, expanded youth employment initiatives, environmental restoration, intelligence led security reforms and community based reconciliation programmes.
PeacePro also renewed its proposal to transform Sambisa Forest into Africa’s Peace City, an international hub for peacebuilding, conflict resolution, security innovation, post-conflict research and sustainable economic development.
Hamzat argued that converting one of the world’s most infamous theatres of terrorism into a global symbol of peace would demonstrate Nigeria’s resilience and redefine its post-conflict recovery.
PeacePro urged the Federal Government, the National Assembly, state governments, development partners and the private sector to move beyond a security centred response by embracing a comprehensive national transformation agenda.
“The final victory over terrorism will not be measured by the number of insurgents defeated,” Hamzat concluded. “It will be measured by the number of communities rebuilt, children returned to school, farms restored to production, businesses reopened, displaced families resettled and hope restored to millions of Nigerians.”