Terrorism victims deserve care and remembrance for healing and rebuilding
The 2026 International Day for the Remembrance of and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, themed "Healing through Memory," emphasizes the importance of preserving victims' stories to aid healing and rebuilding for survivors and affected communities. Nigeria has faced significant terrorism since 2009, with Boko Haram's insurgency claiming over 100,000 lives and leading to thousands of abductions, according to Vice-President Kashim Shettima. This year's theme highlights that responsible storytelling of victims' experiences can strengthen the fight against terrorism, promoting memorialization and collective memory rather than fueling hatred or revenge. Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, particularly Pakistan, Burkina Faso, Niger Republic, Nigeria, and Mali, remain global hotspots, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the world's 5,582 terrorism deaths in 2025. Nigeria alone recorded 750 terrorism fatalities in the previous year, with internally displaced persons estimated between 3.5 million and over eight million. Governments are urged to provide psychological and social support to victims, while international organizations like the UN, ECOWAS, and the African Union should intensify efforts to cut off terrorist funding. The rehabilitation of terrorists requires extreme caution within clear legal and security frameworks. Psychologists and counselors should be deployed to affected communities and to support military personnel. Victims and survivors should be central in determinin
