For the first time ever, Nigeria is the world’s largest source of Daesh/ISIS attacks. As local and international partners address the evolving focus of violent extremism, a new podcast series asks: what do we know about terrorism in West Africa, and what can we do about it?

Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition is a nine episode series in which our host, Fatma Ahmed, brings together world-renowned experts from Nigeria, the Lake Chad Basin, and beyond to analyse and deconstruct the reality of terrorist group Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition, we hear how climate change is directly affecting not just communities but gives ISWAP new opportunities and how women are essential agents in dismantling terror groups.

Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition follows the award winning Taking Apart Terror – which was the recipient of the Bronze Lovie & People’s Lovie Winner 2022 for the Best Crime & Justice Podcast and a finalist for the Best International Affairs Podcast at the New York Festival Radio Awards 2022.

Fatma Ahmed is a governance, peace and security expert working with the United Nations to support programmes in this field. She notes:

“Being able to bring these experts and expertise together in this particular Taking Apart Terror: The West Africa Edition, it can really help contribute to the discussion in preventing the threats faced that we face in the region as a result of terrorism and violent extremism but, also, looking at opportunities and really providing that African narrative, the African stories, the African experience to these issues.”

Taking Apart Terror: the West Africa Edition unpacks the realities of ISWAP, increases our understanding of efforts put in place to fight them and explores how, by understanding Daesh/ISIS, we can strengthen efforts to reduce its appeal, see the group for what it really is, and better understand what we can do about them.