Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Weekly Subject Experts’ Presentation was held at Hall C, TY Buratai Block, Abuja. There were three presentations made by the Subject Experts on North Africa and Turkey, Southern Africa and Middle East.
The first presentation was made by Brig Gen S Musa Subject experts on North Africa and Turkey focused his presentation on how, ‘Terror-Free Türkiye’, Leaders Renew Call as PKK Terrorism Month Away From End. According to Daily Sabah news report of 10 Mar 25, – “The Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) faces a do-or-die situation after decades of a campaign of terrorism targeting Türkiye. After the initial positive response to a call by its jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan to lay down arms and dissolve last month, the group is expected to hold “a congress” in Iraq, likely next month, to chart its future, media reports said this week.In the meantime, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahçeli, who spearheaded the “terror-free Türkiye” initiative for the group to lay down arms, repeated his call on Sunday in a lengthy written statement. Bahçeli also suggested that the PKK hand over its “bloodied weapons” to the Republic of Türkiye instead of burying them.
Government ally Bahçeli paved the way for the initiative as he unexpectedly courted the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) in the reopening of Parliament last autumn. DEM is known for its intricate links with the terrorist group. Bahçeli later revealed his true intention in his seemingly warm discussions with DEM lawmakers he once lambasted for links to the terrorists. In a historic speech at Parliament, he urged the state to accommodate conditions for Abdullah Ocalan, leader of the PKK who was sentenced to life after his capture in Kenya in 1999, to speak at the parliamentary group meeting of DEM, adding that Ocalan should call the PKK to lay down arms and dissolve in this speech.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Brig Gen S Musa stressed that, Nigeria has over the last decade been embroiled in an insurgency that has resulted in one of the most severe humanitarian crisis in the world. Insurgency/terrorism and banditry related violence associated with BH and ISWAP terrorists remain the drivers of extreme insecurity in Nigeria. Report by the UNDP reveals that 14 Million people across the six states in the North Eastern part of Nigeria have been affected by the conflict. Another rpt by the UNOCHA shows that the insurgency has left about 7.1 million people in need of humanitarian support and about 1.8 million people from Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states internally displaced (UNDP, UNOCHA Reports, 2020). The humanitarian impact of the conflict in the NE has exacerbated the relatively weak socio-economic devt status of Nig. Similarly, the years of neglect of appropriate investment in education, the impact of climate changes and banditry activities across the nation has further worsen the crisis and challenges of insy and devt in Nigeria.
In the face of these consummate challenges, it become necessary for Nigeria to constantly evolve effective and sincere strategies to overcome the protracted insecurity. Therefore, it is in this vein that the call by the Turkiye’s pol leaders like the PKK leader Abdallah Ocalan, the Turkiye’s Nationalist Movement Party leader, Devlet Bahceli and other well-meaning individuals in Turkey for the PKK terrorists group to lay down their arms is a significant development and a valuable lesson for Nigeria in its quest for peace and security. In this case, Turkiye’s approach should serve as a reawakening for Nigeria’s pol leaders to further explore inclusive dialogue or meaningful and sincere discussions with various stakeholders including militant groups like BH and bandits kingpins to address the existing lingering grievances and work towards lasting peace, security and stability in Nigeria.
He recommended that, the three tiers of government should continue to utilize the use of equity and inclusive dialogue in the resolution of conflicts in Nigeria.
The second presentation was made by Col OR Akerele (Rtd) Subject experts on Southern Africa Centered his presentation on, Lesotho Tourism Development Corporation Drives Tourism Sensitization Campaign. Tourism Development refers to the process of creating plans to increase tourism in a particular destination, place or location. The goal is to generate economic growth through job creation to enhance the livelihood of the people. Tourism development involves adequate planning, infrastructure development, poverty reduction and reducing inequalities among indigenes. To this extent, the Lesotho Tourism Devt Corporation (LTDC) engaged the Butha-Buthe schools and community and organised a series of pivotal events highlighting the importance of tourism. The programme, led by the LTDC Public Relations Officer, Molapo Matela, emphasised that Tourism; being a major priority sector in Lesotho is crucial for economic growth and community development.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Col OR Akerele (Rtd) pointed out that, Generally, Tourism Devt in Nigeria can be enhance through series of investments infrastructure, cultural tourism and eco-tourism. The Nigerian Tourism Development Commission (NTDC) is responsible for planning and marketing tourism in Nigeria. Tourism Development in Nigeria would focus on the potentials of Nigeria’s tourism sector for economic growth, highlighting its rich cultural heritage, diverse natural landscapes but also the significant challenges like security concerns, infrastructure limitations and the need for effective government policies to fully capitalize on its tourism potentials.
A Tourism Development Programme will encompass Nigeria’s Tourism Assets including cultural sites and landmarks, wildlife reserves, beaches, diverse ethnic festivals and all other national Landscapes. Public Private Partnership can also boost tourism in Nigeria with inputs from local communities and state governments, federal and state government should also take active leading role in tourists destination development, planning and execution of marketing of tourism potentials, the coordination of activities and business plan by travel agents; while making efforts to improve local transportation and rail system within the country. Hence, the support of private businessmen in Tourism Development cannot be overemphasised. The Programme would also bring out some economic potentials such as job creation, foreign exchange earnings, revenue generation for local communities and business development and investment for the business community. However, a Tourism Development Awareness Programme in Nigeria could also cover concerns of banditry, kidnapping and political instability in certain regions. Infrastructure limitations, transportation, hospitality, accommodation, marketing and regulatory framework would also be addressed for effectiveness.
He recommended that, The Nigeria Tourism Development Commission should Synergise with State governments and conduct a Tourism Development Sensitization Programme in any target community with an abundance of cultural heritage sites.
The third presentation was made by Brig Gen AR Bello Subject experts on Middle East Centered his presentation on how, The Role Of Digital Technology and AI in enhancing Court Efficiency. On 6 March 2025, The Global Post reported that Umar Azmeh, Registrar of the Qatar International Court and Dispute Resolution Centre (QICDRC), discussed Qatar’s commitment to digital transformation in its legal sector. (linkedin.com), this initiative aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy, emphasizing innovation, AI integration and technological advancements to enhance efficiency and global competitiveness. QICDRC plays a pivotal role in advancing legal technology, positioning itself as a leader in digital innovation. Digital technology (DT) and artificial intelligence (AI) have the potential to reshape court operations, improve efficiency and streamline judicial processes. During a 2023 visit to the Shanghai Financial Court (SFC), QICDRC observed AI-powered software that automates legal submission reviews, alerts parties to deficiencies and expedites electronic service, thereby reducing delays.
AI-driven translation and transcription tools also enhance efficiency in multilingual courts. Internally, DT and AI can improve case management by analyzing documents and issuing procedural directions based on existing court rules, minimizing delays. AI-assisted judicial analysis in complex financial commercial cases can help judges quickly process extensive records exhibits and facts, identifying key patterns and insights while arriving at a balanced verdict.
In his analysis and lessons for Nigeria, Brig Gen AR Bello pointed out that, In Nigeria, the judicial system has historically grappled with issues such as protracted case delays, court congestion, and limited access to justice. These challenges have eroded public trust and underscored the necessity for reform. The traditional reliance on manual processes has often resulted in inefficiencies and backlogs, impeding timely justice delivery. Consequently, there has been a concerted push towards adopting digital solutions to modernize court operations. This pressure yielded a result when, in the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, the Supreme Court of Nigeria conducted its first virtual hearing, despite the limitations that the Constitution and the practice directions of the court seemed to have placed against such a radical shift from the norm. This opened the floodgates for lower courts in Nigeria to provide opportunities for conducting hearings by electronic means in their rules and practice directions. The Lagos State High Court for example, conducted its first virtual hearing on May 4, 2020, with many other courts soon to follow. It is worthy to note that many courts in Nigeria, including the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, have incorporated electronic filing systems during the COVID-19 pandemic experiences. Thus, the advent of E-courts represents a significant shift towards digital justice in Nigeria. E-courts facilitate electronic filing, virtual hearings and online case management, thereby reducing the need for physical appearances and expediting legal proceedings.
He recommended that, the Federal Ministry of Justice should collaborate with the Office of the National Security Adviser to establish robust cyber security measures.
