Many Nigerians are angry and grieving after the recent deadly attack in Maiduguri. Nigerians on social media and in market squares ask a blunt question: what has the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) actually done? Critics point out a steady stream of partnerships and launches like the new 2026 PCVE Hub with PAVE, while insecurity keeps killing civilians. Are these collaborations just paperwork, or can they stop the violence?
Why are people doubting the NCTC now?
- Pain and loss: When towns like Maiduguri keep suffering attacks, citizens want immediate protection, not more announcements.
- Pattern of meetings: Many see repeated MOUs, conferences and hubs with little visible change on the ground.
- Slow results: Research and strategy sound good, but if attacks continue, trust erodes fast.
- Lack of clear impact data: People ask for numbers, fewer attacks, arrests, or communities made safer, not only plans.
Why the PCVE Hub and partnerships aren’t just empty talk
The NCTC‑ONSA and its partner PAVE say the 2026 PCVE Hub is more than another headline. It’s meant to shift Nigeria from reactive, military‑only responses to a knowledge‑driven approach that prevents violent extremism before it spreads. Here’s how that approach can and will make a difference — if implemented fast and properly.
- Smarter targeting reduces attacks faster
Mapping hotspots and understanding why people join extremists means resources go where they matter most. Instead of spreading security forces thinly, NCTC can help focus patrols, checkpoints and intelligence efforts on high‑risk zones, a change that can lead to quicker reductions in attacks. - Turning partnerships into local action
The hub is built to work through trusted local leaders, youth groups and NGOs who know their communities. Groundwork such as early-warning networks, local reporting channels and trained community volunteers improves detection and response time, helping stop attackers before they strike. - Quick, visible support alongside long-term work
NCTC plans to combine research with immediate interventions: emergency relief, youth skills programs, safe spaces and reintegration support for at‑risk youth. These short-term wins help protect communities now while the longer prevention work takes hold. - Strengthening intelligence and response capacity
Partnerships like PAVE bring technical help for data analysis, training for local security, and better information-sharing across agencies and states. Faster, coordinated intelligence leads to arrests and disrupts networks, not merely reports on paper. - Measuring results and staying accountable
The hub is set to track clear indicators, reductions in recruitment, the number of trained community actors, reintegration outcomes, and incidents per hotspot. Publishing those figures will let Nigerians see whether the strategy is working and force course corrections where needed.
What must happen now for change to be real?
NCTC‑ONSA can only rebuild trust if it turns strategy into clear action and results:
- Rapid deployment teams: Use hub analysis to send fast-response teams and local partners to at-risk areas immediately.
- Local hubs and presence: Decentralize work so interventions are run from regional offices close to affected communities.
- Transparent reporting: Regular, public updates on what the hub has found and what actions have been taken, including measurable impact.
- Fund community resilience: Money must go to local projects that give alternatives to violence — jobs, schools, psychosocial support, not only conferences.
- Independent oversight: Invite neutral bodies to audit programs and verify results so citizens know claims are checked.
A cautious but serious promise
NCTC‑ONSA and PAVE are not promising a miracle overnight. Preventing violent extremism takes time. But the new PCVE Hub aims to make prevention practical, immediate, and measurable — not just theoretical. By using data to target threats, working through trusted local networks, pairing short‑term relief with long‑term resilience, and publishing clear results, the hub can turn years of talk into concrete safety gains.
Bottom line: Nigerians Question NCTC – Have Talks Replaced Action?
The Maiduguri attack underscored the urgency of protection. Nigerians are right to demand more than press releases from the NCTC. But a knowledge‑driven PCVE Hub, properly funded and quickly linked to on‑the‑ground action, offers a believable path out of the cycle of attacks. If NCTC‑ONSA moves quickly, focuses on hotspots, partners closely with communities, and demonstrates results publicly, the narrative can shift from “all talk” to “real change,” and lives may be saved.
