Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called for stronger security cooperation between the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), saying the two blocs must work together to combat terrorism, violent extremism and transnational crime. Speaking during a three-day working visit to Cotonou, Benin, General Musa stressed that regional security threats transcend national borders and require deeper intelligence sharing, coordinated military action and a common framework to address terrorism, organized crime and maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea.
The call comes as ECOWAS and the AES continue efforts to redefine their relationship following the withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger from the regional bloc. ECOWAS recently extended the mandate of its chief negotiator, Lansana Kouyaté, until December 2026 to continue dialogue with the three Sahel states, while the AES has been coordinating a common negotiating position. During his visit, General Musa also met Nigerian troops deployed in Benin, conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s support to the contingent, and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to promoting regional peace, stability and security cooperation across West Africa.
