West African Defence Chiefs Seek Return of Niger, Burkina Faso, Mali

The Chiefs of Defence Staff in West Africa have called for the return of Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso to the regional bloc, ECOWAS. This comes after the three military-led countries announced their withdrawal from ECOWAS in January, citing threats to their security.

“We are making all efforts to ensure that they come back to the fold because we know even they, on their own, cannot withstand this,” said Gen. Christopher Musa, Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff and Nigerian Chief of Defence Staff.

“We need to partner together to achieve success. No country can do it alone.”He said.

Musa emphasized the importance of regional cooperation in addressing insecurity, particularly insurgency.

“Insurgency is on the increase and spreading very, very wide and very fast. So we must do everything possible to ensure that we nip it in the bud before it gets out of hand,” he said.

National Coordinator of the Counter-terrorism Centre, Major General Adamu Laka, stressed the need for cooperation among West African countries to defeat terrorism.

“We hope to partner with our brothers in the West African sub-region and the Sahel. We need to learn from one another.”