The West Africa Democracy Radio (WADR) has urged for stronger regional cooperation among governments, security agencies, and citizens to tackle the severe insecurity plaguing the Sahel region. This call was made by Mrs. Agnes Thomasi, Station Manager of WADR in Dakar, Senegal, during a public debate held in Abuja on Thursday. The debate, titled “Security in the Sahel: Effects, Challenges, Strategies, and the Way Forward,” is part of WADR’s project “Providing Quality and Relevant Information: A Counter Narrative on the Security Situation in the Sahel,” funded by the Open Society Foundation (OSF).
Thomasi explained that the debate is the second phase of WADR’s project, which aims to contribute to peace-building processes in Africa. “Today’s debate provides an opportunity for in-depth discussions on the security situation in our region under our Security and Rights project. The first phase, implemented in 2022, focused on the governance aspect of security in Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Nigeria,” she said. The second phase continues to address these countries, encouraging experts to explore different perspectives on insecurity in the Sahel and to share ideas for possible solutions.
The debate is particularly relevant given Nigeria’s current state of insecurity, which includes terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and farmer-herder conflicts. Mr. Senator Ireogbu, the Convener of Geopolitics Series, described the Sahel as a vast region stretching from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea, serving as a transition zone between the Sahara Desert and the fertile savannas. He highlighted the region’s serious security challenges, including coups, insurgencies, and terrorism, exacerbated by high birth rates and corruption. These factors make life exceedingly difficult for the local populations.
Ireogbu emphasized that Nigeria, a key player in the Sahel, is threatened by extremist groups and organized crime, such as smuggling and kidnapping. Addressing these challenges from a Nigerian perspective is crucial for regional stability and security. He called for stronger regional cooperation, intelligence sharing, and the development of resilient local governance and security capacities. “Governments also need to address poverty, unemployment, and strengthen inclusive governance to tackle the menace of insecurity,” he added.
Dr. Maji Peters, Country Director of Equal Access International, attributed the rising insecurity in the Sahel to inequality and lack of trust in governance systems. Speaking on “The Modus Operandi of Non-State Armed Groups in the Sahel,” Peters noted that these groups proliferate due to public distrust in government institutions. “When you don’t believe in the system and there is so much distrust of the institutions supposed to protect and guide us, people tend to help themselves, leading to our current situation. Unless we take intentional actions, this is just the beginning,” he warned.
Mrs. Kemi Okenyodo, Founder and Executive Director of the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, spoke on “Military Juntas and Populations: What Place for Dissenting Voices and Pro-Democracy Activists?” She pointed out that the role of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as watchdogs has been compromised. “CSOs have become tribalized, political, and donor-dependent, making them weak in influencing good governance in Nigeria,” Okenyodo noted. She emphasized that bad governance breeds insecurity and that civil society movements are no longer effective in monitoring and reporting bad governance to create the necessary change.
