Tinubu urges West African leaders to unite against terrorism, coups
President Bola Tinubu has called on leaders of West African countries to work together to tackle terrorism and military takeovers in the region.
Tinubu, who was represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, spoke on Sunday at the 68th ordinary session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) authority of heads of state and government in Abuja.
The president said the challenges facing the region require a collective response, stressing that no country can achieve lasting peace on its own.
“Excellencies, the external threats confronting West Africa today demand nothing less than a united front: terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational organised crime, arms for liberation, cyber insecurity, climate shocks, food insecurity and irregular migration,” he said.
Tinubu said Nigeria remains committed to the ideals of ECOWAS and believes unity should be built on cooperation rather than force.
“No single member state, regardless of size, can achieve enduring stability in isolation. We must sit at the same table, speak with one voice and act with shared results,” he said.
He added that “fraternity, not force, must define the future of our community”, warning that internal divisions have weakened the regional bloc in recent times.
Julius Maada Bio, ECOWAS chairman and president of Sierra Leone, praised Nigeria for deploying troops to Benin Republic to stop an attempted coup. He said West African countries must act together, noting that “instability in one nation is instability for all”.
“West Africa faces some of the most complex and evolving threats in its history,” Bio said, adding that the crisis in the Sahel remains especially serious.
