Terrorists kill 14,500 people, displace 5.5m in ECOWAS

Terrorists kill 14,5000 people in four years

By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor

Terrorists have killed 14,500 people and displaced 5.5 million others in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in the past four and a half years, says former ECOWAS Commission President Jean-Claude Brou.

Brou, who became West African Bank Governor on 8 July, disclosed the figures in Abuja during the handover of power to the new management of the ECOWAS Commission led by Omar Touray.

“First of all, the deterioration of the security situation has caused havoc, not only in the Sahel area, affecting Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the North East of Nigeria, but it soon expanded to the coastal zone, hitting Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo.

“Terrorist attacks and herds of bandits plunged these countries into mourning, with close to 14,500 dead in four and a half years, threatening the peace of rural population, and forcing people to seek shelter away from their home areas,” he said.

“Thus, the number of refugees and internally displaced people in our region reached about 5.5 million persons who are in need of humanitarian assistance.”

He announced that the ECOWAS Commission has reached out to provide assistance to many of the displaced as well as to victims of natural disasters.

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Combating terrorism

Brou stressed that an action plan to combat terrorism in the region has been followed but it requires financial and logistics support for it to bear fruit, according to reporting by The PUNCH.

“Regional action plan to combat terrorism in West Africa has been elaborated and is being implemented.

“It will necessitate sustained commitment including financial support from member states to produce the expected results in the medium to long term.”

Brou, who  left the ECOWAS Commission after completing his four-year term, lamented military takeovers in the region.

Touray gave an assurance to ECOWAS member-states that his team would do everything possible to implement reforms.

“I renew our commitment to work diligently for the welfare of our community. At the same time, I call upon you to continue to support ECOWAS by ensuring the full payment of the Community Levy and the full implementation of ECOWAS protocols,” he said.