Mistrust between IES and ECOWAS countries needs to be overcome to enable intelligence sharing and security cooperation.
On January 8th, members of a violent extremist group for the support of Muslims and Muslims attacked the fortified status of anti-terrorist operations Mirador in northern Benin. Media reports say at least 30 Beninese soldiers have been killed in the attack at Transfrontier W National Park – the biggest loss ever recorded.
On July 20, 2024, a similar attack occurred on the Army forward post base in Kpekpakandi in northern Togo and on October 2, 2024 on the border with Burkina Faso. At least 10 soldiers died in the former, while nine soldiers and ten civilians died in the latter.
Threats of terrorism vary from country to country, but the activism of these groups in the Sahel since 2012 shows that West African nations are unimmunized in Benin and Togo since 2021. According to the Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel remains a global epicenter, accounting for more than half of all terrorist deaths in 2024.
Among the coastal states of Benin, Cote Dyvoir, Ghana and Togo, the Ivory Coast, which was first hit in Grand Bassam in 2016, was the first hit. After two years of repeated attacks in the North, they experienced a relative lull, but the threat remains. The country shares a long border with Mali and Burkina Faso, where security continues to deteriorate.
Ghana is the only country that has not experienced a terrorist attack. However, several incidents have been recorded along the border with Burkina Faso. The same vulnerabilities exploited by groups of other countries – the chieftain and land conflict, the growing dissatisfaction with the state, illegal activities like illegal gold bread – have been documented in Ghana.
The Institute of Security Research (ISS) study of Benin and Cote Daiboir also reveals that cows stolen in the Sahel or coastal states or illegally mined gold will be sent to Ghana to cover the rebellion. The ISS survey also records recruitment for Ghanaian terrorist groups.
In its research and previous studies, Liptaco Gooma countries (Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger) emphasize the importance of not assessing threats based solely on attacks, which are visible parts of the phenomenon. In fact, sources, funding and recruitment of violent extremists’ logistics and operational supplies far exceed the location of attack.
Some interdependent dynamics have led to the expansion of terrorism across Sahel borders. These include groups bypassing military and security operations, expanding their territory and sources of human, operational and financial resources, and finding new hiding places.
Parks and forests like the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, Comoet National Park in Ivory Coast and the Oti-Kéran-Mandouri complex in Togo provide ideal conditions (see MAP). Controlling and fixing these forests is difficult. Their size and cross-border nature make air surveillance more intense and easy access to rebels.
Parks and forests vulnerable to terrorist activities in West Africa
Porous boundaries and limited cooperation between the alliances of Sahel (AES) countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) (on one hand, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger) and the economic communities of West African countries (ECOWAS) members on the other, will allow terrorist groups to expand. Mistrust between the two organizations prevents sharing of critical intelligence and coordination of military operations to prevent certain regions from being used as fallback zones.
In this situation, we see that some ECOWAS states form bilateral relations with AES countries for security and economic reasons. It could stop terrorism from spreading, but given the regional nature of the threat and the multidimensional security crisis in West Africa, ECOWAS and AES must try to work together.
In March 2024, AES countries announced the deployment of Liptaco Guma’s joint anti-terrorist forces. However, there is no intention to expand its power to coastal states currently adjacent to the three states. Given the limited resources, AES states and their coastal neighbours should explore the best ways to work together, avoiding individual answers and new ad hoc security arrangements.
At the Chief Staff Meeting in March in Abuja, Ekowas confirmed the need for collective action to improve the safety of the region. To achieve this, ECOWAS and AES countries can leverage existing communication channels to restart dialogue and collaboration.
Ecowas appointed Togo, Senegal and Sierra Leone in July 2024 to negotiate with AES countries. Togo played a role in the release of Koiboria soldiers detained in Mali, and was the only coastal country in Niger to participate in last year’s joint military operations between AES countries and Chadian forces.
Senegal and Ghana appointed Sahel envoys in July 2024 and January 2025, respectively. The presidents of both countries have made state visits to AES countries to bring ECOWAS and AES closer together. However, the success of these efforts will depend on whether AES and ECOWA can maintain dialogue and coordinate security and development efforts.
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Regional cooperation is also necessary to respond to the Lakrawa Group – since at least 2016, it has been operating in areas suffering from bandits and crime in northwest Nigeria. It was originally a self-defense group, but this year it was designated as a terrorist organization by Nigeria. It also works in parts of Niger and has been accused of interfering with the Niger-Benin oil pipeline.
Collaboration is key to preventing the tertiary region between Benin, Niger and Nigeria from becoming another terrorist epicenter in West Africa.
The countries affected should learn from the experiences of other African countries, including Algeria, Mauritania, Nigeria and Niger. These established disarmament, demobilization and reintegration programs. Despite its restrictions, these initiatives undermined the terrorist groups by encouraging members to leave.
In addition to investing in responses with security and non-security measures, action must be taken to undermine extremist groups by attacking supply, funding and recruitment chains.
Jeannine Ella Abatan, Senior Researcher at Regional Office in West Africa and Sahel Regional Office
