Coups: CSO urges ECOWAS to establish anti- terrorism task force
Bloc becoming a battlefield between Russia, U. S., says Akinyemi
FOLLOWING the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States, a Civil Society Organisation ( CSO), United Global Resolve for Peace ( UGRFP), has called for establishment of an anti- terrorism task force by the bloc. The organisation said the call became necessary, as terrorist networks have forged Trans- West Africa alliances, underscoring the need for a collaborative approach. On Sunday, military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from ECOWAS.
Leaders of the three Sahel nations issued a statement, saying it was a “sovereign decision” to leave ECOWAS “without delay.”
Struggling with jihadist violence and poverty, the regimes have had tense ties with the bloc since coups took place in Niger last July, Burkina Faso in 2022 and Mali in 2020.
All three were suspended by the community, with Niger and Mali, facing heavy sanctions.
Reacting, Chairman of UGRFP, Shalom Olaseni, in a statement, yesterday, said that the organisation has continually advocated creation of anti- terrorism task force, recognising the escalating threat of terrorism across West African states. He said the rising coups in West African states are intrinsically linked to pervasive terrorism.
His words: “During a crucial meeting with the then- Parliament Speaker, Moustapha Cisse, UGRFP emphasised the need for immediate action.
“The rising instances of coups in West African states are intrinsically linked to the pervasive terrorism in these nations. Governments and military agencies have struggled to effectively counter these threats, necessitating the establishment of a proactive and permanent ECOWAS Anti- terrorism Task Force.
“Terrorist networks have forged Trans- West Africa alliances, underscoring the need for a collaborative approach. UGRFP emphasises that this task force should not only be raised reactively during coups and unrest, but should be a statutory entity, equipped to address the continuous and evolving challenges of terrorism.”