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Touray Insists Military Rule Has Led to Increase Terrorism, Insecurity in West Africa
Touray Insists Military Rule Has Led to Increase Terrorism, Insecurity in West Africa
By: Michael Mike
The President of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Omar Touray has insisted that recent cases of military rule in the region have led to worsening insecurity and exposure of terrorism.
Touray also warned that the growing military rule poses existential threat to the region, urging that there must be no weak link if ECOWAS must prevail.
Delivering a welcome address at the 51st Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council at Ministerial Level in Abuja on Wednesday, Touray said: “On the political front, the transition roadmaps and timetables agreed with the transition authorities in Mali, Guinea, and Burkina Faso for a rapid and peaceful restoration of constitutional order have been implemented at varied paces amid worsening security situations. The attempted coup d’état in Niger has further distracted attention from the support to these transition processes as the transition countries seek to forge a solidarity with the military authorities in the Republic of Niger, thereby creating an impression of a divide between them and ECOWAS.”
He noted that: “These military coups are not only based on fake narrative and false justifications; they are also a driver of insecurity in the region. In a statement at the recently concluded Saudi Africa summit, this is the warning that President Tinubu had to sound :
“Do not be hoodwinked by romantic notions of military takeovers; they end up pointing their guns at each other, trying to control the capital cities and leave the border areas to the terrorists. For those who may still not be aware, this poses an existential threat and there must be no weak links in ECOWAS if we are to prevail.”
He said: “To drive home the gravity of the insecurity to which military coups contribute, let us look at some data:
“Victims of insecurity – those killed, maimed, and displaced and those who have lost livelihoods and educational opportunities – are the subject of conflicting figures. Yet all the figures are indicative of the pain and suffering that insecurity continues to inflict on the people.
“For example, from January 1st to October 22, 2023, 1503 incidents of terrorist attacks were recorded in Burkina Faso; 1044 in Mali; 376 in Niger 166 since the coup).
“These incidents have resulted in several fatalities: 6811 in Burkina Faso, 2889 in Mali: 768 in Niger (557 since the Coup). In addition to the unbearable toll on human lives, insecurity continues to have dire humanitarian consequences. In just Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, a total of 4.8 million people face food insecurity, 2.4 million people are internally-displaced and close to 9000 schools remain closed.
“A disaggregation of the data shows that Burkina Faso has the highest number of food-insecure people – close to 2.2 million; followed by Niger with 1.9 million and Mali about 800 000. Burkina Faso also accounts for the largest number of internally displaced people – about 2 million; while Mali and Niger each have close to half a million displaced persons. The number of schools closed stands at 6000 in Burkina Faso, 1700 in Mali and 1000 in Niger. to the claims of the military authorities, the incidences of terror attacks have been on the increase with attendant humanitarian consequences.
“From January to 30th November, the number of terrorist attacks in Burkina was 1256, in Mali-1032 and in Niger 391. The figures in terms of casualties were 4788 in Burkina Faso; 2174 in Mali and 606 in Niger.”
He noted that the overall peace and security environment, from the Sahel region through the Lake Chad Basin and beyond remains a matter of concern, lamenting that: “Terrorists and armed groups continue to hold sway in Central Sahel and the northern parts of some coastal states. Indeed, it is evident that terrorism and unconstitutional political practices have remained the major security threat in the region that must be frontally addressed.”
He however pledged that the region would continue “to make efforts for a quick return to constitutional order in these Member States” adding that “as part of our humanitarian response, the Commission is taking several significant steps to increase its intervention assistance, including the deployment of some funds from the Counterterrorism Fund to provide for basic education to conflict-affected children, livelihood support, and resilience building.”
In his opening address, the Chairman of the Mediation and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar said the meeting availed the region ministers the opportunity to exhaustively discuss its collective existential challenges, and to devise strategies to tackle these emerging threats for the overall well-being of their community citizens.
“It is through these discussions that we can effectively shape the policies for our collective response, ensuring comprehensive and coordinated actions that align with the needs and aspirations of our Member States,” Tuggar noted.
Touray Insists Military Rule Has Led to Increase Terrorism, Insecurity in West Africa
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
•••771 to Graduate in Nigeria in 2025
•••Otuaro Hails Scholars’ Performances
By: Michael Mike
Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.
The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.
They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.
Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.
The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.
Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.
He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.
“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.
He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.
Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.
Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.
Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.
According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.
The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.
“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
By: Michael Mike
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited has been incorporated to seamlessly allowed for the Refinery and Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
A press statement on Thursday read that: “In furtherance of our commitment to the execution of these two major projects – Refinery and Free Trade Zone in conjunction with the Ondo State Government, the joint partners have taken another giant step by incorporating a joint company, namely – SUNSHINE JOINT VENTURE INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED – as the vehicle to be used in executing these projects. A move that further reinforces the sincerity of purpose and total commitment of the funding partners to move ahead together as a united front.
According to the release by Wale Adekola on behalf of the JV, the Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limitedwill, going forward serve as the vehicle to work with the Ondo State Government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) in the implementation of the executed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The statement added that: “In moving the projects forward for implementation, the JV team met in Dubai to finalize the funding modalities and put in place structures and plans for the commencement of activities for ground breaking and community engagements. These initial activities are aimed at complementing the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Ondo State and the one year anniversary of the election of the Executive Governor of the Sunshine State, His Excellency, Chief Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa CFR.
At the Dubai meeting were key officers of the JV Company, including: Messrs SALEHI FARHAD; ZAHERI NAVID; EGHBAL KORDJAMSHIDI; SAHEED ZAHERI; DR. STEPHEN DIKE; HENRY OWONKA AND MRS. NAMVAR MARYAM.
The statement further informed that, plans have been concluded to mobilize the relevant contractors working with the locals and host communities to put up structures that will host the information center, architectural models to showcase the projects on offer and facilities that will serve the team. All these are being planned with ONDIPA to execute the relocation and accommodation of the host communities that are likely to be affected by the projects and create a seamless transition that will engender peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship with our host communities.
The JV company further reiterated its commitment to work with Ondo State Government (through ONDIPA) to change the infrastructural landscape of the Sunshine State and for mutual benefits.
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
By: Zagazola Makama
Seven suspected bandits were arrested along the Benin–Agbor Road in Edo State during stop-and-search operations, security sources confirmed.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects, all Fulani youths, were intercepted after being offloaded from a truck at about 1800 hours on 2 December 2025. A search revealed pictures of assault rifles, including AK-47s, on their mobile phones.
Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to have travelled from Adamawa State. Investigations are ongoing for the possible recovery of actual firearms and to determine their involvement in criminal activities.
Security agencies have urged members of the public to report any suspicious movements to help prevent criminal acts in the area.
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
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