ECOWAS, Nigeria Defence Ministry Meet Over Terrorism Threat.
By Ferdinand Olise
The Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, and the Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence, have commenced the 43rd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of the Chiefs of Defence Staff, CCDS, on Tuesday, in Abuja, Nigeria.
This three-day meeting aims to examine the general security situation in the ECOWAS region, especially in the area of growing threat of terrorism, its consequences, and security challenges following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Organisation.
This 43rd CCDS meeting will deliberate on several items on the agenda, including the consideration of the implementation of the recommendations of its 42nd ordinary meeting held on 7 August 2024 in Abuja, consideration of the report of the ECOWAS Joint Chiefs of Staff meeting held from 25 to 27 February 2025 in Cabo Verde, the rotation of officers of the ECOWAS Standby Force, and consideration of the outcome of the meeting of government experts on the ECOWAS logistics concept and standard operating procedures for the ECOWAS logistics depot in Lungi, Sierra Leone.
Also, the meeting will have participants brainstorm on the analysis of the challenges and consequences of the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from ECOWAS, as well as the review of commitments to the Anti-Terrorist Brigade of the ECOWAS Standby Force.
An update on the ECOWAS mission in The Gambia, and the ECOWAS mission to support the stabilisation of Guinea Bissau, are also to be discussed.
In an address, the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, called for closer cooperation to improve regional defence capabilities against any security threat. He also called for good collaboration, shared expertise, and the pooling of resources to combat terrorism and insecurity in the West African region.
On his part, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau Musah, said that regional security is recently marked by an increase in the activities of armed terrorist groups, (TAGs), and violent extremist groups, (VEGs), as well as transnational organised crime, (TOC).
Dr Musah stressed the need to reflect on the defence architecture in the light of the changing regional political situation following the withdrawal of the three Sahel countries from ECOWAS.
Also, the Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Armed Forces, General Christopher Musa, who Chairs the ECOWAS Chiefs of Staff Committee, reaffirmed the commitment of the Armed Forces to security and democratic governance in West Africa, noting that security challenges in the countries and the regions constitute a threat that includes terrorism and organised crime.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of this meeting, ECOWAS officially donated a large consignment of IT equipment to the Nigeria’s National Defence College. The College established in 1992 is the apex military training institution for the Nigerian Armed Forces, and a Centre of Excellence for peace support operations training at the strategic level in West Africa.
