Uniting Against Terror: African Leaders Forge Paths At Abuja Summit

A high-level security summit convened in Nigeria's capital, Abuja, recently saw African leaders come together to confront the rising tide of terrorism sweeping the continent. Against the backdrop of increasing attacks, the discussions held significant weight.

According to the African Center for the Study and Research on Terrorism (ACSRT), Africa bore witness to an alarming average of eight terror-related incidents and 44 daily casualties in 2023. These grim statistics encompassed the loss of 7,000 civilians and 4,000 military personnel to terror attacks.

Nigeria’s National Security Adviser and the architect behind the summit, Nuhu Ribadu, stressed the urgent imperative to combat terrorism on the continent. He emphasized the multifaceted nature of the threats posed by terrorist factions and the necessity for integrated security approaches.

Ribadu stated, “These groups exploit local vulnerabilities and perpetuate ongoing instability, necessitating comprehensive security strategies that fuse military, economic, and regional cooperation efforts.”

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has grappled with violent assaults from insurgent groups for 15 years, establishing their strongholds across the troubled Sahel region and resulting in a staggering loss of lives.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Nigeria, also serving as the chair of the West African regional bloc ECOWAS, advocated for the establishment and fortification of a regional standby military force. This force, proposed initially in response to the July 2023 coup in Niger, aims to deter large-scale terrorist operations.

However, the Sahel's political instability has posed a significant obstacle to regional solidarity. Leaders from Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger—countries profoundly affected by insurgency—were notably absent from the summit due to sanctions imposed following coups.

Throughout the summit, Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe emphasized the indispensable need for cooperation among states, as well as defense and security forces, to effectively combat security threats.

Supported by the United Nations, the two-day counter-terrorism summit also saw the participation of Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of the African Union Commission.

Faki stressed, “The time has come to develop a comprehensive Continental Strategic Plan of Action to combat terrorism effectively across Africa.”

Both Tinubu and Faki called upon the international community to bolster support for Africa’s fight against terrorism.

“We find it perplexing that while coalitions against terrorism exist elsewhere in the world, similar efforts are not being made in at least one of Africa’s five regions, where this destructive phenomenon wreaks havoc on human lives, infrastructures, and institutions. Why do our voices go unheard?” Faki queried.