ECOWAS defence chiefs move to return Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger

The Chiefs of Defence Staff in West Africa on Friday, called for the return of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso to the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, made the call when he led other ECOWAS defence chiefs on a Friday visit to the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, NCTC, in Abuja.

Musa, the Chairman of the ECOWAS Committee of Defence Chiefs, said the return of the three countries to the regional bloc was necessary to defeat the insecurity ravaging the region, especially insurgency.

He said that efforts were ongoing on their part to ensure that the three countries were back, adding that all hands must be on deck to curtail insecurity in West Africa.

“For us, we feel without security, there can’t be progress and the threats we are facing, especially on insurgency, are high.

“We think it is very important that we need to partner together to achieve success. No country can do it alone, and that’s why it’s important.

“We know we have three countries that have decided to step aside.

“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.

“We know the relevance that if they fall, it will also drag us down and that is why it is important for us as West Africans to continue to work together,’’ he said.

The CDS appreciated the National Coordinator of NCTC, Maj.-Gen. Adamu Laka, for doing a wonderful job in the nation’s counter-terrorism efforts.