ECOWAS Condemns Terrorist Attacks In Benin And Nigeria.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has strongly condemned a devastating terrorist attack on Benin Republic, which resulted in numerous casualties, including soldiers. The attack occurred near the border with Niger and Burkina Faso, two Sahelian countries that have left ECOWAS following military coups.
On Wednesday evening, Colonel Faizou Gomina, the National Guard’s Chief of Staff for Benin, reported a severe blow to one of Benin’s most fortified military positions. “We’ve been dealt a very hard blow,” he lamented, although specific casualty figures were not disclosed. However, the main opposition party, The Democrats, suggested that approximately 30 soldiers perished in the Alibori region attack.
This incident marks a continuation of increasing violence in Benin’s northern regions, with over 120 military officers killed between 2021 and December 2024, as reported by a diplomatic source to AFP. The attacks have been largely attributed to jihadist groups from neighbouring countries. Just last month, a similar assault claimed the lives of three soldiers and wounded four others guarding an oil pipeline in the north-east.
ECOWAS, in a communique issued over the weekend, expressed profound condolences to the government and people of Benin, stating, “The ECOWAS Commission expresses its deepest condolences to the government, security forces, and people of the Republic of Benin, as well as to the families of the brave soldiers who lost their lives protecting their country and wishes a speedy recovery to the injured.”
The regional body also reaffirmed its commitment to combat terrorism across West Africa, highlighting the ongoing operationalisation of a Counterterrorism Plan of Action. ECOWAS urged member states to enhance intelligence sharing and border security to curb such attacks.
In a related incident, suspected terrorists attacked Nigerian border facilities at Kangiwa in Kebbi State on Friday evening. According to a statement by Kenneth Udo, the spokesman for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), four individuals, including a local watchman and three contractors, were killed. No immigration officers were reported dead, but significant damage was done to the border facilities.
“The service regrets to announce a recent attack by a suspected terrorist group on Border facilities and contractors on site, at the Kangiwa Border in Kangiwa Local Government Area of Kebbi State about 1920 hours on Friday, 10th, January 2025,” Udo said. He extended condolences to the bereaved families and affirmed the NIS’s dedication to border security in collaboration with other security agencies to arrest those responsible.
ECOWAS’s response underscores the urgent need for a unified regional approach to tackle the rising tide of terrorism that threatens peace and stability in West Africa. The solidarity shown by ECOWAS not only supports Benin and Nigeria in their time of grief but also signals a broader call to action against terrorism within the region.
