A Nigerian member of the ECOWAS Parliament, Representative Zainab Gimba, has raised serious concerns about the sharp rise in terrorism and violent extremism across Nigeria, West Africa, and the Sahel region. She linked this dangerous surge to the recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Gimba made the call during the 2025 First Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Parliament. She moved a motion titled, “Strengthening Regional Security Cooperation In Response To The Escalating Threat Of Terrorism And Violent Extremism In West Africa and the Sahel.”
Expressing deep urgency, Gimba warned that terrorism was escalating rapidly, especially after the exit of the three Sahel countries from ECOWAS. “What concerns me most is not just the existence of terrorism, but the rapid escalation across the region, especially following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger,” she told the Parliament.
In Nigeria, the situation is particularly severe in the Northeast, where Boko Haram, ISWAP, and foreign terrorists including Caucasian fighters have intensified attacks since January. Gimba described the terrorists as armed with sophisticated weapons such as drones and chemical agents capable of penetrating armored vehicles and causing massive destruction.
She listed a series of coordinated attacks by terrorists since March on communities across Borno State, including Gwoza, Pulka, Buni Gari, Alagarno, Damboa, Rann, and Marte. These attacks have led to the seizure of military weapons and destruction of security posts in many locations.
“I personally visited some of these troubled areas with military protection,” Gimba said. “Just days before this session began, Boko Haram slaughtered dozens of farmers near Baga. In Dawoshi, 40 farmers were killed; in Malam Karamti, 22 civilians; and in Dabar Giwa, 15 were executed.”
She explained that these brutal killings were punishments for refusing to pay illegal “taxes” imposed by the terrorists.
Gimba revealed that a recently arrested terrorist in Zamfara admitted that instability in Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali made it easier for insurgents to get weapons and carry out attacks.
She stressed that terrorism in Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 59 percent of global deaths from terror, with the Sahel region alone responsible for 51 percent of global terror-related deaths in 2024—a rise from 48 percent in 2023.
To tackle the worsening crisis, Gimba moved a motion demanding that ECOWAS members increase funding for the Multinational Joint Task Force operating in the Lake Chad Basin. She also called for deploying rapid-response teams to high-risk zones to stop terrorists from spreading to the coast.
Further, she urged strengthening the ECOWAS Early Warning and Response Network to better track arms trafficking and insurgent movements. She also emphasized the need to support the ECOWAS Regional Food and Agricultural Agency to address food security issues worsened by the violence.
Lastly, Gimba advocated for ECOWAS Parliament to endorse ongoing talks with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger aimed at reintegrating them into ECOWAS security frameworks. She called for a united, multifaceted approach combining dialogue and military cooperation to restore peace.
“We know why terrorism is spreading so fast,” she said. “It is time for a coordinated regional effort to combat this threat and bring lasting stability to West Africa and the Sahel.”
