Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Christopher Musa, has called for closer security cooperation between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) to strengthen efforts against terrorism, insurgency and other transnational crimes threatening the West African region.
Musa made the appeal during a three-day official visit to Cotonou, Benin Republic, where he is holding high-level discussions focused on improving regional defence coordination and harmonising security strategies.
According to a statement released by his media aide, Leah Katung-Babatunde, the Defence Minister said the growing complexity of security threats across West Africa requires a united and coordinated response from all countries in the region.
He urged the leadership of both ECOWAS and the Alliance of Sahel States to set aside political differences and work together to combat terrorism, prevent insurgent movements across shared borders and enhance maritime security within the Gulf of Guinea.
Musa stressed that a unified regional security alliance would strengthen efforts to dismantle cross-border criminal networks, contain the spread of violent extremism and restore lasting peace and stability across West Africa. During his arrival in Cotonou, the Nigerian Defence Minister was received by Benin Republic’s Minister of National Defence, Gildas Agonkan, who commended Nigeria for its longstanding leadership role in promoting regional peace and democratic stability.
Agonkan also praised the Nigerian Army contingent that participated in Benin’s National Day parade on August 1, describing Nigeria as an indispensable partner in the fight against terrorism and organised transnational crime. As part of the visit, Musa met with Nigerian troops stationed at Togbin, where he conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to improving military welfare, enhancing operational effectiveness and strengthening the capabilities of the Armed Forces.
The Defence Minister also visited the Nigeria House in Cotonou and held discussions with Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Benin Republic, Mopelola Ibrahim. The ambassador highlighted ongoing efforts to deepen bilateral trade relations while expanding joint border surveillance initiatives aimed at addressing emerging security threats.
The Alliance of Sahel States comprises Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—three military-led nations that withdrew from ECOWAS following disagreements over sanctions and the timeline for restoring civilian governance. Since formally exiting the regional bloc in January 2025, the three countries have strengthened their political, military and economic cooperation under the AES framework.
Despite the political divide between ECOWAS and the AES, both organisations continue to face common security challenges, including terrorism, violent extremism, insurgency, arms trafficking and other forms of cross-border criminal activity, particularly across the Sahel region and the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria’s latest call for greater collaboration reflects growing concerns that sustained regional cooperation will be essential to effectively confront the evolving security threats facing West Africa.
