Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu has called on West African leaders to urgently establish the ECOWAS Standby Force to crush terrorism in the region.
Tinubu, while speaking at the 67th ECOWAS Heads of State and Government Summit in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, said West African nations must act decisively to operationalise the ECOWAS Standby Force in the fight against terrorism to serve as an instrument for peace and stability.
"The ECOWAS Standby Force must move from concept to operational reality. I am a little bit worried about the slow pace of its activation, which is taking longer than desired," the President said in a statement on X.
The Nigerian leader further highlighted the transnational nature of threats facing the region, noting they are driven by "agile and dangerous networks that respect nobody's border."
Escalating insecurity
Tinubu, who handed over chairmanship of ECOWAS to Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone at the event, stressed no nation can address the challenges of terrorism and external security threats in the region alone.
"We must strengthen coordination, amplify political will, and prioritize a collective approach to secure it," Tinubu said.
The routine ECOWAS meeting follows persistent insurgent attacks in the Sahel and Lake Chad regions, often exploiting strained relationships between countries.
Insurgents have recently intensified their offensives, carrying out violent raids in Mali, incursions into major cities in Burkina Faso, and inflicting heavy losses on the army in Niger. Host nation Nigeria has also experienced a spike in attacks targeting villagers and military bases in recent weeks.
Sahel states return
President Tinubu also expressed optimism that ongoing diplomatic engagements with Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger would eventually lead to their return to the community.
He remarked, "Under my chairmanship, I deployed all diplomatic means to engage and dialogue with our brothers in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. I am confident that before too long, they may return to the family."
In addition to security, the Nigerian leader called for deeper economic cooperation, advocating for the empowerment of the private sector and the removal of trade barriers to unlock West Africa's full potential.
