Terrorism: Over 7,000 killed in five months across West Africa – Minister

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has urged the Economic Community of West African States to unite in addressing the causes of insecurity in the region.

He noted that between January and May 2024, over 7,000 people have died in more than 800 terrorist incidents across the region, with Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali being particularly hard hit.

Tuggar, who spoke at the opening of the 52nd session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council in Abuja, on Wednesday, emphasised the need for collective action against terrorism and violent extremism, which threaten the stability and development of West Africa.

The minister, who is also the chairperson of the council, stressed that the fight against terrorism must be a shared responsibility, requiring unwavering commitment from all ECOWAS member states.

He said, “Between January and May 2024, our region has witnessed over 7,000 deaths as a result of more than 800 terrorist incidents. Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali have been particularly devastated by this relentless violence.

“This stark reality highlights the staggering human cost of insecurity and underscores the urgency for coordinated and decisive action to combat this menace.

“Terrorism does not recognise borders. From the Sahel to the coastal States, no country is immune to its devastating impact. It is therefore crucial for every country within ECOWAS, including those in the Sahelian belt, to understand that the fight against terrorism is not the burden of a few but a collective responsibility.

“Therefore, we must remain united and demonstrate unwavering commitment and resolve to safeguard the lives and futures of our citizens.”

Tuggar called for enhanced regional cooperation, effective intelligence sharing, and robust funding for the ECOWAS counter-terrorism force.

He also highlighted the importance of addressing underlying issues such as climate change, migration, organized crime, and economic inequality to build a stable and prosperous region.

“As we join forces to find common solutions to the continuing challenge of violent extremism and foreign interference, we should also remain mindful of the broader challenge of cooperation to help tackle the underlying causes of instability in our region: climate change, migration, organised criminal activity, global terms of trade and access to financing.

“Our task today is to consider how best to meet the immediate symptoms of the condition we face and also how to establish firmer foundations to reduce inequality and poverty and strengthen democracy,” he added.

The minister noted ECOWAS’ ongoing peace support operations in countries like Guinea-Bissau and The Gambia and the plans for a stabilisation mission in Sierra Leone.

Additionally, he highlighted efforts to tackle humanitarian challenges, including disaster risk reduction and providing relief materials to affected communities.

As the council deliberated on various proposals, Tuggar urged members to remain united and committed to the principles of peace, democracy, rule of law, and good governance.

“Let us also pledge to work tirelessly for the security and prosperity of our region, for the overall benefit of our people and the generations to come,” he concluded.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, expressed concern over the ongoing standoff with the Alliance of Sahelian States, emphasizing its detrimental impact on regional integration.

Touray highlighted persistent challenges in governance, development deficits, and evolving geostrategic and geopolitical dynamics posing threats to regional cohesion and integration efforts.

“The continued standoff between the Alliance of Sahelian States and ECOWAS is preoccupying and undermines the integrity of the regional integration agenda.

“Against this backdrop, our region continues to face challenges of governance, development deficits, and the rapidly changing geostrategic and geopolitical enjoinment that threatens regional cohesion and the integration process,” he noted.

Widely regarded as West Africa’s foremost political and regional authority, the Economic Community of West African States, formed in 1975 to foster economic integration among member states, has faced challenges in recent years stemming from a series of military coups in the region.

These include incidents in Mali in 2020 and 2021, Burkina Faso in 2022, and Niger in the past year.

Regrettably, three of these nations, which had previously considered forming a counterforce, the Alliance of Sahel States, in response to ECOWAS following the overthrow of Niger’s democratically elected government, formally announced their withdrawal from the organisation on January 28, 2024.

Currently, under military governance, these countries stated in a joint declaration that they were leaving ECOWAS due to what they perceive as a deviation from the founding ideals of the organisation and pan-Africanism.

However, sanctions were lifted in February 2024 following mediation by Nigeria’s former military head of state, Gen. Yakubu Gowon.

Touray emphasised that the decisions were made in the interest of fostering unity and ensuring security within the African sub-region.