Plans are underway to institute 5,000-man force to combat terrorism - ECOWAS

In a bid to fight terrorism to a zero level, the  Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Heads of State and Government are planning to institute a 5,000-man force to mount strategic regions.

The body said this move became necessary following the recent record of 1,605 terror attacks between the period of January and August and about 6,956 cases of fatalities.

The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, said this in Abuja during the International lecture organised by the News Agency of Nigeria.

While giving the breakdown of the attack, Touray, represented by the Programme Officer, Regional Security Division, Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security, ECOWAS Commission, Isaac Armstrong, said  Burkina Faso accounted for 611 attacks and 3,810 fatalities; Mali recorded 546 attacks with 1424 fatalities, Nigeria, 238 attacks with 905 fatalities, Niger, 153 attacks with 676 fatalities; Benin, 44 attacks with 66 fatalities and Togo, 13 attacks with 75 fatalities.

He said, “On the directives of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, efforts are ongoing to set up a 5000-man kinetic force to fight against Terrorism using the platform of the ECOWAS Standby. This regional resolve does not take away the responsibility bestowed on individual member states to take full ownership of their national security responsibilities

“Undoubtedly, terrorism is the major security threat faced by ECOWAS member states. Initially confined to certain countries in the Sahel (Mali and Niger) and the Lake Chad Basin (Nigeria), terror attacks have multiplied and spread to other countries (Burkina Faso) and are now a real threat to coastal countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo).

“In 2024, from January to August, statistics from our Early Warning and Regional Security data platforms show that a total of 1,605 attacks have been recorded in the region with a total of 6,956 fatalities with Burkina Faso accounting for 611 attacks and 3810 fatalities; Mali 546 with 1424 attacks, Nigeria 238 attacks with 905 fatalities, Niger 153 attacks with 676 fatalities; Benin 44 attacks with 66 fatalities and Togo, 13 attacks with 75 fatalities.”

In 2023, he noted that a total of 3,587 terrorist attacks were recorded in the ECOWAS region with about 2,000 in Burkina Faso, over 1,044 in Mali, and 500 in Niger.

“These incidents have resulted in close to 9,000 fatalities: including 7,000 in the three Sahelian countries of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. Terror incidents in the coastal region include 177 in Benin and Togo that resulted in 203 deaths.

“In addition to the unbearable toll on human lives, insecurity continues to have dire humanitarian consequences. In just the three ECOWAS Sahelian countries, i.e. Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, a total of 4.8 million people faced food insecurity, 2.4 million people were internally displaced, and close to 9,000 schools remained closed,” he added.