ECOWAS, Sahel Nations Must combine Security with Good Governance to Defeat Terrorism – Defence Minister
Calls for renewed push to operationalise ECOWAS Standby Force
ABUJA — Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has urged countries in the ECOWAS sub-region and the Sahel to integrate security efforts with good governance and intelligence-sharing in order to effectively confront the rising wave of terrorism.
Speaking at the Regional Conference on Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS/Sahel Region held at the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Abuja, Badaru stressed that defeating terrorism requires “timely intelligence as the primary force multiplier,” alongside regional collaboration and socio-economic reforms.
He noted that the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force “must be pursued with renewed vigour,” while harmonising legal frameworks across member states to ensure terrorists and their networks have no safe haven.
“Our forces require not only modern equipment but also advanced training to meet the evolving challenges of counterterrorism. The creation of a regional counter-terrorism task force, fully trained and equipped for rapid deployment, is an initiative we must embrace,” Badaru said.
The minister described terrorism as one of the greatest threats to peace and stability in West Africa and the Sahel, thriving on porous borders, weak governance, and socio-economic disparities.
He warned that extremist groups were becoming more sophisticated, exploiting encrypted communications, unmanned aerial systems, and online platforms to radicalise vulnerable youths.
“Terrorism in our time has assumed a more complex and dangerous character. Their collaboration with international terrorist organisations has created a web of instability that stretches across borders,” he said.
Badaru emphasized the need for proactive, region-specific strategies anchored on intelligence integration, joint operations, and addressing the root causes of radicalisation such as poverty, unemployment, and poor governance.
Highlighting Nigeria’s efforts, the minister pointed to joint operations in the North-East, North-West, and North-Central that dismantled terrorist strongholds, as well as Nigeria’s support to the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.
He also cited Operation Safe Corridor, which rehabilitates and reintegrates repentant insurgents, and the Yaoundé Code of Conduct for maritime security.
He added that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda places security at the centre of national renewal, “linking peace with prosperity and stability with progress.”
Also speaking, Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, reiterated that Nigeria’s Armed Forces have been at the forefront of counterterrorism operations both within the country and through multinational frameworks.
“While battlefield victories are necessary, we know they alone cannot guarantee lasting peace. Sustainable security requires strategic-level cooperation,” Musa stated, noting the importance of combining kinetic and non-kinetic approaches, including peacebuilding, counter-radicalisation, and humanitarian support.
He referenced last week’s First-ever African Chiefs of Defence Staff Conference in Abuja as a milestone for continental security cooperation, stressing that Africa’s security challenges require “African-led solutions anchored on trust, solidarity, and partnership.”
In his welcome remarks, Major General Adamu Laka, Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre, warned that groups such as Boko Haram, ISWAP, JNIM, AQIM, and the Lakurawa Group continue to exploit porous borders, political instability, and weak governance.
“The consequences are devastating: countless lives lost, communities displaced, economies disrupted, and the very fabric of our societies threatened,” Laka said.
He stressed that the conference directly responds to the ECOWAS Extraordinary Summit of December 2024, which called for the activation of the ECOWAS Counterterrorism Force, sustainable funding, and stronger cross-border collaboration.
According to him, the gathering aligns with the ECOWAS Plan of Action (2020–2024), the Accra Initiative, Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Strategy, and the Strategic Plan (2025–2030).
“What is left is to move from words to pragmatic action,” he declared.
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