The Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has advocated for institutionalising joint and multinational military operations across the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region, saying that the West Africa region and Sahel need robust and coordinated responses under clear command structures in tackling emerging terrorist threats.
Abubakar made this assertion while declaring open the regional conference on combating emerging terrorist groups and strengthening sustainable security in the Ecowas/Sahel region national counterterrorism centre in Abuja on Wednesday.
The minister noted that the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force must be pursued with renewed vigour, adding that harmonisation of legal frameworks across member states will ensure terrorists and their support networks find it easy to operate.
“The creation of a regional counterterrorism task force, fully trained and equipped for rapid deployment, is an initiative we must embrace. At the same time, capacity building is essential. Our forces require not only modern equipment, but also advanced training to meet the evolving challenges of counterterrorism.
“We must address the root causes of radicalisation. Military force is necessary but not sufficient. Poverty, unemployment, exclusion and poor governance provide fertile ground for extremist ideologies, investing in education, strengthening community resilience and ensuring good governance are equally critical to our long-term security.
“Winning the hearts and minds of our populations will deny extremist groups the local support they seek to exploit. The task before us is clear. We must combine military strength with governance reforms and socio-economic development. This comprehensive approach is the only way to deliver sustainable peace,” Abubakar said.
In his welcome address, the National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), Major General Adamu Garba Laka, said the escalating threats posed by terrorist groups, such as Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), Jama’at Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin (JNIM), Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), and, more recently, the Lakurawa Group, need urgent attention.
Laka emphasised that these groups leveraged on porous borders, political instability, and weak governance systems to expand their operations in the region, stressing that the devastating consequences, if not check could lead to countless loss of lives, as entire communities are displaced, economies disrupted, and the very fabric of our societies threatened.
He stated that the evolving threat demands that the region match their adaptability with resilience, innovation, and stronger collaboration across borders, adding that it is left for the leaders in the region to move from words to action.
“Collectively, these frameworks reflect our shared commitment; what is left is to move from words to pragmatic action. Excellencies, we must recognise that no single country or institution can defeat terrorism alone. It is a regional and global challenge that thrives on disunity.
“Nigeria, therefore, deeply values the contributions of the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union, and our international partners. Yet, beyond global support, we must also amplify the voices and capacities of our own people, civil society, youth, religious leaders, academia, and the media who play vital roles in preventing radicalisation, countering extremist narratives, and building resilient communities,” Laka said.