TINUBU URGES REACTIVATION OF REGIONAL STANDBY FORCE TO TACKLE WEST AFRICA

TINUBU URGES REACTIVATION OF REGIONAL STANDBY FORCE TO TACKLE WEST AFRICA, SAHEL INSECURITY


Accra, Ghana – January 31, 2026: President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for the reactivation of a regional standby force to bolster collective security in West Africa and the Sahel. He urged countries in the region to leverage Nigeria’s National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) in Abuja as a hub for intelligence coordination and operational planning.

The president’s position was delivered through the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, during the Conference on Security Situation, Operational Challenges, and Future Risk Trajectories in West Africa and the Sahel, held in Accra from January 29 to 30, 2026.

According to a statement released in Abuja by the minister’s Special Assistant on Communications, Magnus Eze, Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to regional peace and stability, emphasizing that stronger multilateral cooperation is critical in addressing escalating threats in the Sahel.

“Nigeria is favourably disposed to collaborative approaches aimed at tackling the security crisis in the Sahel,” the president said. He highlighted ongoing joint efforts with regional and continental intelligence units, including the Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit, Liaison Fusion Unit, Eastern African Fusion Unit, and the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa.

Tinubu recalled that in 2025, the NCTC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the African Union to enhance counterterrorism collaboration. He emphasized that the centre is now well-positioned to support regional mechanisms and serve as an intelligence hub in unified counterterrorism operations.

The president also raised concerns about the increasing use of cyberspace by terrorist groups for disinformation campaigns, noting that such tactics undermine regional stability. He urged West African nations to utilise Nigeria’s National Cyber Security Centre for coordinated cyber surveillance and intelligence gathering.

Highlighting the security challenges in West Africa, Tinubu identified thinly spread defence formations, absence of a single counterterrorism focal point, and emerging political divisions as obstacles exploited by militant groups. He warned that drug cartels may relocate to weaker jurisdictions in the region, increasing the risk of alliances between insurgents and traffickers.

“Power vacuums have allowed Sahel-based terrorists to expand into West Africa, affecting countries like Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Ghana,” he stated. Tinubu stressed the need for ECOWAS and AES states to separate political disputes from security collaborations and pursue inclusive strategies to safeguard regional stability.

Beyond military measures, the president called for addressing root causes of instability, including poverty, governance deficits, and marginalization, while urging the establishment of a sustainable, multilateral counterterrorism framework.

The Accra conference, Tinubu concluded, provides an opportunity for intelligence chiefs and stakeholders to create a regional strategy that strengthens security cooperation, reduces insurgency threats, and fosters economic and social development across West Africa.

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