Mutaru Mumuni Muqthar has over seven years' experience in various fields including consulting, security and counter-extremism, and radicalization. He is the founder and executive director of the West Africa Centre for Counter Extremism, an independent not-for-profit civil society organization focused on counter-extremism research and outreach in West Africa. Mutaru works with local community and youth groups in countering the foundations of violent extremism and radicalization in vulnerable communities. He is also responsible for the strategic direction of the organization. Mutaru holds a master's degree in International Terrorism, Global Crime and International Security from Coventry University, UK, following a Bachelor of Science (Hons) degree in Business Administration from Ashesi University, Ghana. His MA dissertation, which scored a distinction, focused on why the US has only partially succeeded in combating homegrown terrorism. Upon completion of the Mandela Washington Fellowship, Mutaru plans to expand his counter-extremism work across West Africa.