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Nigeria advised to forge alliance with sahel states to stem jihadist expansion

Nigeria advised to forge alliance with sahel states to stem jihadist expansion
By: Zagazola Makama
Security analyst and counterinsurgency expert, Zagazola Makama, has called on Nigeria to urgently forge a practical and trust-based alliance with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to halt the rapid expansion of jihadist networks from the Greater Sahel into littoral West Africa.
Makama, known for his authoritative insights on Lake Chad and Sahel security dynamics, made the call in an advisory released on Tuesday. He emphasised that the recent surge in jihadist activities particularly by Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) and Islamic State Sahel Province (ISSP) now poses a direct threat to Nigeria and its neighbours along the Atlantic coast.
According to him, this rising tide of extremism demands a unified response that transcends political divides, ideological alignments, and historical grievances.
Nigeria must lead the charge
Makama urged Nigeria to take the lead in initiating a regional counterterrorism alliance involving AES members Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger as well as neighbouring states like Chad, Central African Republic (CAR), Sudan, and Libya.
He said Nigeria’s experience in fighting Boko Haram and ISWAP, its strong military assets, and its leadership role in ECOWAS position it as a natural leader in this proposed coalition.
“The threat is no longer confined to the Sahel. Jihadist groups are pushing southward with clear intent to destabilise littoral states such as Ghana, Togo, and Benin. Nigeria is the buffer, and if Nigeria is overwhelmed, the entire subregion could unravel,” Makama warned.
He advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his capacity as ECOWAS Chairman, to convene a summit with AES leaders Capt. Ibrahim Traoré of Burkina Faso, Col. Assimi Goïta of Mali, and Gen. Abdourahamane Tiani of Niger.
“Let Nigeria rise above politics and take the initiative. A united African front is the only way to roll back the tide of extremism in the region,” he added.
Security collaboration and intelligence sharing
Makama recommended the creation of a joint regional intelligence platform that would allow real-time sharing of information on jihadist movements, recruitment cells, and financing.
He called for a regional military alliance capable of launching cross border operations against terror enclaves in the Liptako-Gourma triangle and along the Nigeria-Niger border where ISSP is recruiting among Fulani youths under its “Lakurawa” network. Nigeria has the air power, AES has the ground knowledge. Coordinated, precision-led strikes are possible if trust is built and maintained,” he said.
Tackling the roots of terror
Beyond kinetic responses, Makama stressed the need for socio-economic interventions to address the root causes of radicalisation. He proposed joint investment in agriculture, road infrastructure, youth employment schemes, and cross-border trade corridors.
He also urged Nigeria to support AES countries with agricultural technology and capacity-building to reduce rural poverty and food insecurity conditions often exploited by jihadist groups. “An idle young man in Gao or Tillaberi is the perfect prey for terrorists. Development is as important as the gun in this war,” he said.
Border control and propaganda warfare
To contain the spread of jihadists and arms across porous frontiers, Makama advised the deployment of drones, surveillance systems, and joint patrols. He further proposed expanding Nigeria’s current border security framework in the Lake Chad Basin to cover AES border zones.
Makama also urged Nigeria to share the successes and methodologies of its deradicalisation programme, Operation Safe Corridor, with AES states.
“Jihadists use narratives to recruit and hold territory. We must counter them with stronger narratives ones rooted in culture, faith, and community resilience,” he noted.
Bringing in CAR, Sudan and Libya
Makama said the conflicts in Libya, Sudan, and CAR continue to fuel instability in the Sahel, as they serve as arms depots and transit points for fighters. He called for Nigeria and AES to extend their security coordination to these countries, using platforms such as the African Union and ECCAS.
He suggested engaging the Libyan National Army (LNA) in the east and western government factions separately, while also advocating for the inclusion of a Sahel-specific security agenda in AU-led peace talks on Sudan.
Neutrality and trust-building
Makama acknowledged the current mistrust between AES and ECOWAS, and the geopolitical divergence between Nigeria’s Western alliances and AES’s turn toward Russia. He proposed Togo and Senegal as neutral mediators in convening the proposed summit.
He commended Nigeria’s new visa-free policy for Africans as a step toward soft power diplomacy and urged for inter-community dialogue among Fulani, Tuareg, and Hausa groups to reduce ethnic tensions fueling extremism.
“Our cultures connect us. Our borders divide us. We must return to our shared African identity and fight together,” Makama said.
“We are running out of time. The jihadists are adapting, expanding, and exploiting every gap. If we don’t build a continental firewall today, we will be fighting fires on the Atlantic coast tomorrow.”
He called on Nigerian leadership to rise above regional politics and act decisively in shaping a continental security response capable of restoring peace, order, and development in the Sahel and beyond.
By bridging the Sahel and coastal states through collaboration, trust, and mutual interest, Nigeria and its neighbours can stem the tide of extremist violence threatening regional stability.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analyst in the Lake Chad Region
Nigeria advised to forge alliance with sahel states to stem jihadist expansion
News
Indian factory manager slumps, dies in Edo community

Indian factory manager slumps, dies in Edo community
By: Zagazola Makama
A 47-year-old Indian national, identified as Kalidass Arunachalam, has died after suddenly slumping while on duty at a factory in Ologbo, Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Area of Edo State.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the deceased was a production manager with Green Hills Agricultural Products Ltd. He was said to have collapsed at about 11:30 a.m. on Friday while working at the company premises.
Company representatives, including another Indian national, Tushar Tukaram Phadtare, along with the Managing Director, Suleman Dauda, and the Chief Security Officer, Lt. Col. Thompson Udom (rtd), rushed him to God’s Spring Best Care Hospital in the Obaretin Community for urgent medical attention.
A medical doctor at the facility, identified as Dr. Kingsley Dele, later confirmed Arunachalam dead while efforts were still being made to revive him.
Officials later visited the hospital where the body was found lying face up on a hospital bed with a drip attached. No visible marks of violence were observed on the corpse.
The remains of the deceased were deposited at the mortuary, and efforts are ongoing to contact the Indian Embassy to inform his next-of-kin and facilitate diplomatic procedures.
Indian factory manager slumps, dies in Edo community
News
Three missing after boat carrying passengers, vehicles capsizes in Taraba

Three missing after boat carrying passengers, vehicles capsizes in Taraba
By: Zagazola Makama
At least three persons, including a two-year-old child, are missing after a boat capsized on Friday night while ferrying passengers and vehicles across the Namnai River in Taraba State.
Zagazola Makama reports that the boat, which was transporting several passengers and three vehicles, capsized around 8:40 p.m. due to overloading and reckless navigation by the operator.
According to sources, the operator defied standing safety protocols by loading three vehicles onto the boat instead of the approved maximum of two. The mishap occurred while the boat was attempting to dock at the riverbank, when a strong wave destabilised it, causing it to overturn.
While many passengers were rescued by local divers and first responders, three victims identified as Aishatu Rilwanu, Baharatu Danasabe, and Yusuf Badaru, a two-year-old child all residents of Jantaro Ward in Mutum Biyu remain unaccounted for.
Rescue team were mobilised to scene as both community members and security personnel intensify the search and rescue efforts.
As of the time of filing this report, the rescue operation is still ongoing.
Three missing after boat carrying passengers, vehicles capsizes in Taraba
News
Security operatives arrest 22 suspected Aiye cultists in Ogun, including two soldiers

Security operatives arrest 22 suspected Aiye cultists in Ogun, including two soldiers
By: Zagazola Makama
Security operatives in Ogun have arrested 22 suspected members of the Aiye confraternity during a coordinated raid at Hilltop Hotel in Osiele, Odeda Local Government Area.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the operation, which took place on Friday night, followed credible intelligence received by officers at the Odeda Division regarding the unlawful gathering of cultists at the hotel.
The sources confirmed that a joint tactical team comprising officers from Aregbe Division, Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), and the Anti-Cultism Unit stormed the hotel and apprehended the suspects.
Among those arrested were 19 males, three females, and two serving military personnel, suspected to be linked to the cult group.
Items recovered from the suspects include one UTC axe, a cut-to-size barrel gun, and several blue beret caps, all identified with the Aiye cult group.
The sources said that the State Criminal Investigation Department’s Anti-Cultism Unit at Eleweran has been directed to conduct a discreet investigation into the incident, while further profiling of the suspects is underway.
The sources said individuals or groups found engaging in such criminal acts would face the full weight of the law.
Security operatives arrest 22 suspected Aiye cultists in Ogun, including two soldiers
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