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ECOWAS Speaker Decries Rising Terrorism Violent Extremism , Organised Crime in West Africa
ECOWAS Speaker Decries Rising Terrorism Violent Extremism , Organised Crime in West Africa
By: Michael Mike
Speaker of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Parliament, Hadja Mémounatou Ibrahima, has decried the increasing surge in the threat of terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime in West African sub-region.
Speaking during the 2024 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament in Abuja, Ibrahima expressed gratitude to Almighty God, Creator and Originator of all things, saying that out of His unending kindness, he has enabled the parliament to meet at the National Assembly, which is highly symbolic of the Parliament’s commitment to viable and sincere sub-regional integration.
Ibrahima who said that the session is taking place in a difficult international context for the entire planet earth, insisted that as the world had barely emerged from pandemics and epidemics, although not fully, but still grappling with a number of scourges and challenges, such as poverty, climate change, the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and the conflict in the Middle East, to name but a few.
She said: “Unfortunately, the problems are compounded by another phenomenon of staggering proportions in the region, namely the upsurge in the threat of terrorism, violent extremism and organised crime, which is costing the lives of our valiant defence and security forces, as well as thousands of innocent people.”
Ibrahim’s said there are various political, economic and security crises in several member states which the 6th Legislature must urgently help to address, adding that:
“These include the desire expressed by three of our member states to withdraw from the Community, as well as the growing tensions between the Republics of Benin and Niger, not to mention other constant concerns in the region such as terrorism, food insecurity, irregular migration and the adverse effects of climate change.”
She noted that discussions on the various issues led to the adoption by Parliament of what is known as the “Kano Declaration,”
stressing that by means of the declaration, the ECOWAS Parliament resolved, among other things, to set up an ad hoc mediation committee to initiate and maintain not only dialogue with the authorities of the different countries, but also communication among the various populations.
She noted that the Parliament also resolved to conduct field visits to understand and help settle disagreements between the two friendly and sister nations, Benin and Niger and to encourage the ECOWAS Commission to expedite the implementation of the joint defence strategy to fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
“I want to assure you that, during its last two meetings, the Bureau of Parliament discussed these recommendations at length, and urgent actions are being taken in collaboration with other ECOWAS institutions to implement them,” Ibrahima disclosed.
In his remarks, President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, said besides the many threats related to peace and security, as well as challenges related to poverty, the West African region is also facing the risks of disintegration.
He said: “As you all know, on January 29th, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger notified the Commission of their intention to leave ECOWAS with immediate effect.
“Our people – the people of West Africa – have lived within an integrated ECOWAS community for several decades. Populations have benefited from freedom of movement within our ECOWAS space and have begun to perceive the advantages of our common market where local products are traded freely in a market of over 400 million inhabitants. In addition, the use of a common passport and a common biometric identity card for travel within our community space has been introduced.
“Given these advantages, it is clear that disintegration will not only disrupt the freedom of movement and establishment of people, but it will also aggravate insecurity in the region. More specifically, the withdrawal of the three aforementioned countries will deal a severe blow to security cooperation, particularly in terms of intelligence sharing and participation in the fight against regional terrorism and other joint security initiatives, such as the operationalization of the ECOWAS standby force that our member states’ defense ministers have just agreed to activate, as well as the Accra Initiative and the Multinational Joint Taskforce,” Touray said.
Touray also said the withdrawal of the three countries could also lead to diplomatic and political isolation on the international stage, as the countries will no longer be able to benefit from bloc support when their citizens or candidates seek international positions within the African Union, the United Nations, and similar bodies.
“This withdrawal will also affect travel and immigration conditions for citizens of these three countries, as they will now have to apply for visas before traveling within the sub-region. Citizens of these countries may no longer be able to reside or freely create businesses within the facilities established by ECOWAS and may be subject to various national laws. Additionally, these three countries will have to cease using ECOWAS passports, the ECOWAS biometric national identity card, and the ECOWAS “Brown Card” automobile insurance on a regional scale.
“Economically and financially, the withdrawal of the three member states could lead to the cessation or suspension of all projects and programs implemented by ECOWAS in these countries, valued at over 500 million US dollars.
“It is also worth noting that the two regional financial institutions, namely the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), have significant investments in these three countries. EBID has 27 projects currently in these three countries, with a total value estimated at around 321.634 million US dollars, of which 38.1 percent are public sector projects and 61.9 percent are private sector projects. The banking portfolio in these three countries represents approximately 22.5 percent of the total bank portfolio in the 15 member states. The three countries have contributed a total of 33.135 million US dollars to the bank’s capital.
“Institutionally, it is worth noting that the withdrawal of the three countries will result in the closure of four ECOWAS regional entities in Burkina Faso, two ECOWAS regional bodies in Mali, and one ECOWAS regional office in Niger. This will also affect the job security of approximately 130 ECOWAS staff citizens of the three countries, distributed as follows: 77 from Burkina Faso; 23 from Mali; and 32 from Niger,” Touray also said.
ECOWAS Speaker Decries Rising Terrorism Violent Extremism , Organised Crime in West Africa
5th ASWAN: Zulum calls for multifaceted approach to address crisis in the Sahel
By: Michael Mike
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum has called for a comprehensive and multifaceted strategy, hinged on broader regional cooperation, to tackle the escalating security and humanitarian crisis in the Sahel region.
Zulum made the appeal while delivering a keynote address at the roundtable discussion of the 5th Aswan Forum for Sustainable Peace and Development held in Aswan, Egypt.
The governor, whose state has been at the epicentre of Boko Haram insurgency in the Lake Chad Basin, argued that a purely military solution has proven insufficient. He emphasised that lasting peace can only be achieved by simultaneously addressing the root causes of the conflict.
He said: “The crises of instability, terrorism and displacement that plague the Sahel cannot be solved by kinetic means alone,” stating that: “We must look beyond the battlefield. There is an urgent need for a multifaceted approach that combines security, development, and humanitarian assistance in a synchronised manner.”
Zulum also called for broader cooperation among countries in the Sahel region. He stressed that extremist groups and other criminal networks operate across borders with impunity, and the response must be equally transnational.
He said: “In the Sahel context, you cannot address the challenges by just looking at two or three countries. You need to look deeper into the political region of the Sahel as defined by the United Nations Strategy, which covers 10 countries, including Mauritania, Gambia and Guinea, among others. Collaboration among the larger Sahel communities is paramount.”
Beyond security collaboration, the governor called for improved development in the Sahel countries. He identified poverty, lack of education, and climate change-induced scarcity as key drivers of recruitment for armed groups.
“For the last 15 years, we have had many interventions in Borno State, but humanitarian support is not a sustainable solution. There is a need for longer-term sustainable solutions. We received many donors, partners, and non-governmental organisations, but most of them engaged in short-term humanitarian solutions.”
“There is a need for sustainable solutions, including development. The nexus between peace, development and security need not be overemphasised. If there is no development, there cannot be peace or security.”
The roundtable features other African leaders representing various countries, including H.E. Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration, and Egyptian Expatriates; H.E. Abdoulaye Diop, Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation, and African Integration, Republic of Mali; and H.E. Karamoko Jean-Marie Traoré, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Cooperation and Burkinabes Abroad of the Republic of Burkina Faso.
5th ASWAN: Zulum calls for multifaceted approach to address crisis in the Sahel
MOTiON Condemns Violent Attack on Protesters in Abuja
…Calls on Government, Judiciary and Security Agencies to Stop Weaponising Citizen Dissent
By: Michael Mike
The Movement for the Transformation of Nigeria (MOTiON) has expressed outrage at what it termed brutal suppression of peaceful free Nnamdi Kanu protesters in Abuja.
The group in a statement on Tuesday, alleged that citizens exercising their constitutional right to dissent were shot at, tear-gassed, chased and arrested, in a chilling display of state hostility toward free expression.
In a statement jointly signed by its Convener, Hauwa Mustapha, and Co-Convener, Chris Isiguzo; the group said eyewitnesses and media reports confirm that security agents deployed heavy-handed tactics to crush a lawful assembly instead of protecting the rights of Nigerians.
The group said security agencies must be reminded that when citizens take to the streets to demand justice, reform, accountability or welfare, their duty is to safeguard and not silence them, stressing that only a few weeks ago, protesters demanding improved welfare for police and retired officers were not treated as adversaries because their demands favoured the same security institutions. Yet this week, citizens voicing dissent against perceived injustice were met with force and contempt. This double standard exposes a dangerous politicisation of the right to protest.
MOTiON asserted that the courts and government must stop framing citizen protests as illegitimate attempts to destabilise the state, insisting that such narratives embolden repression, obstruct reform dialogue, and erode democratic confidence.
It stated that judiciary must refuse to rubber-stamp blanket bans on assembly, and the executive must refrain from treating civic space as a political battleground.
The group said: “We further call on lawmakers to rise above partisan silence and defend the sanctity of citizens’ constitutional freedoms. They must use its oversight powers to ensure that: A public guarantee is issued that peaceful assemblies will never again be treated as criminal acts; All court injunctions restricting protests are reviewed to prevent their misuse as tools of intimidation under the guise of “security”; and Security agencies adopt and enforce a human-rights-compliant protest management protocol, and the Nigeria Police must commit to protecting citizens during protests, and ensure Nigerians are never treated as enemies simply for raising their voices.”
MOTiON said it stands in unwavering solidarity with all Nigerians exercising their right to peaceful protest, whether they are workers, students, retirees, or ordinary citizens. “We will not stay silent while legitimate dissent is criminalised and voices for justice are violently silenced.”
MOTiON is a collective force of Nigerians from mass democratic organisations, workers’ organisations, pro-democracy movements, movements for social justice, women groups, citizens groups, NGOs, academia, students and youth groups, and climate action groups.
According to it, it is a movement of movements channeling shared anger, frustration and aspirations of Nigerians into purposeful action. Through concerted, strategic effort, engaging in citizens’ actions to address and overcome the root causes of Nigeria’s current state: elite capture, ineffective leadership, institutional corruption, insecurity, and the pervasive culture of impunity.
MOTiON Condemns Violent Attack on Protesters in Abuja
Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest
By: Zagazola Makama
A hunter in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a woman he mistook for a monkey while hunting in a forest.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Monday at Basam Osokom community, when the hunter, identified as Otu Goodness Kanang, reportedly fired at what he believed to be a monkey perched on a tree.
According to the sources, Kanang said he heard a human cry after taking the shot and later discovered that he had mistakenly hit a woman identified as Victoria, whose other names were yet to be ascertained.
Detectives visited the scene, and with the help of community youths, evacuated the body to the residence of a local chief in Bansam for further action.
The suspect has been taken into custody as investigation into the incident continues.
Police said normalcy has been restored to the area and the Command remains calm.Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest
By: Zagazola Makama
A hunter in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State has been arrested for allegedly shooting and killing a woman he mistook for a monkey while hunting in a forest.
Zagazola Makama learnt that the incident occurred on Monday at Basam Osokom community, when the hunter, identified as Otu Goodness Kanang, reportedly fired at what he believed to be a monkey perched on a tree.
According to the sources, Kanang said he heard a human cry after taking the shot and later discovered that he had mistakenly hit a woman identified as Victoria, whose other names were yet to be ascertained.
Detectives visited the scene, and with the help of community youths, evacuated the body to the residence of a local chief in Bansam for further action.
The suspect has been taken into custody as investigation into the incident continues.
Police said normalcy has been restored to the area and the Command remains calm.
Hunter mistakenly kills woman he mistook for a monkey in Boki forest
5th ASWAN: Zulum calls for multifaceted approach to address crisis in the Sahel
UN Women Strengthens Partnerships for Inclusive Development in Warri Kingdom
NDLEA Launches Online Portal for Drug Integrity Test, Visa Clearance Certificate
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