Leaders across ECOWAS and the Sahel are charting a new course for combating emerging terrorist groups, moving beyond fragmented responses and calling for sustainable, African-led security solutions.
Nigeria’s Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa, and National Counter Terrorism Coordinator Major General Adamu Laka spoke with one voice in Abuja, urging unity, regional action, and stronger cooperation to counter multiplying terror networks across West Africa.
Badaru, who served as Special Guest of Honour, warned that piecemeal national responses can no longer contain the escalating wave of terrorism.
He said; “Security in one country is inseparable from the security of its neighbours.”
The Minister described the gathering as more than dialogue, but a turning point for decisive action.
“This conference is more than dialogue, it is a call to action. The future stability of ECOWAS and the Sahel will depend on the decisions we take here and the commitments we follow through afterwards,” he said.
Badaru outlined three priority fronts for a joint security framework: real-time intelligence integration using AI, operationalising the ECOWAS Standby Force through harmonised legal frameworks, and tackling root causes such as poverty, exclusion, and weak governance while investing in education and resilience.
He linked Nigeria’s reforms under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda to wider regional stability, adding that while global partners are welcome, the conference must “deliver an actionable roadmap, not just words on paper.”
General Musa, represented by Chief of Defence Operations Major General Emeka Onumajuru, emphasised that Africa must lead its own solutions to achieve lasting peace.
He said; “While battlefield victories are necessary, we know that they alone cannot guarantee lasting peace. Sustainable security requires strategic-level cooperation.”
Recalling August’s African Chiefs of Defence Staff Summit in Abuja, General Musa said: “Africa’s security challenges demand African-led solutions anchored on trust, solidarity, and partnership.”
He urged harmonised doctrine, interoperability, and a balance of kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, while congratulating ECOWAS and Nigeria’s NCTC for convening the forum.
In his intervention, NCTC Coordinator Major General Laka warned that terror groups from Boko Haram and ISWAP to newer cells like Lakurawa are multiplying and exploiting digital platforms for recruitment and radicalisation, especially among youth.
He said; “These groups are not only multiplying but exploiting digital spaces as well as new technologies to fight, radicalise and recruit, especially our youth.”
Laka tied the Abuja conference to the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit of December 2024, which called for the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Counterterrorism Force and sustainable funding.
He noted that Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Strategy (2025–2030) aligns with ECOWAS and the Accra Initiative.
Expected outcomes of the Abuja conference include a situational analysis of emerging terror groups, renewed commitment to the ECOWAS Counterterrorism Force, a roadmap for intelligence sharing and border security, strategies to mainstream youth and civil society, and an actionable communiqué on sustainable responses.
“For Nigeria this fight is not abstract; it is lived daily. Through resilience, reforms, and sacrifice, we have made progress.” Laka affirmed, acknowledging guidance from National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and support from international partners.
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PIAK