Nigeria’s Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, says that the recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has significantly increased the security burden on Nigeria’s military.
Speaking at the first-quarter meeting with branch chiefs, air officers commanding, and commanders on Wednesday in Abuja, Abubakar stated that the withdrawal had disrupted regional security frameworks, particularly affecting the Multinational Joint Task Force.
“The recent withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States from ECOWAS has disrupted existing security frameworks. This development has direct implications for the MNJTF, which has played a crucial role in countering Boko Haram and ISWAP across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon,” he said.
He warned that with Chad also considering withdrawal, the MNJTF’s capacity to conduct joint operations would be further weakened, placing greater responsibility on Nigeria’s military.
Abubakar stressed the need for a more robust, agile, and adaptive response from the Nigerian Air Force to fill the security gaps left by the departing states.
“With these states opting out and Chad considering withdrawal, the MNJTF’s capacity to conduct joint operations is now significantly affected. As a result, the burden on the Armed Forces of Nigeria to support the MNJTF will increase, demanding a more robust, agile, and adaptive response from the Nigerian Air Force.
“Strengthening operational readiness, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and leveraging advanced air power will be critical in mitigating these evolving threats as we progress through 2025,” he added.
The Air Chief also highlighted the growing threat posed by extremist groups in the Sahel, warning that Al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists were exploiting weak governance structures to expand their influence.
He pointed out that porous borders in the Lake Chad Basin had enabled these groups to sustain their activities, posing a persistent threat to regional stability.
“West Africa’s security landscape in 2024 remained highly complex. The Sahel region continued to be a hotspot for terrorism and insurgency, with extremist groups taking advantage of weak governance. In the Lake Chad Basin, porous borders have allowed these elements to persist, threatening regional stability,” local media reports quoted Abubakar as saying.
Abubakar also noted that maritime crimes in the Gulf of Guinea, including piracy and illegal oil bunkering, required increased aerial surveillance and regional cooperation to bolster security.
According to the reports, Abubakar commended the progress made in counterinsurgency operations in the North-East and North-West of Nigeria in 2024, citing improved collaboration between the Air Force and ground troops.
He, however, warned of emerging threats, including the rise of the Lakurawa group in the North-West and renewed Boko Haram attacks in the North-East.
“A significant incident in 2024 was the use of drones carrying locally fabricated grenades in a kamikaze role by Boko Haram terrorists to attack our troops in Wajiroko, Damboa Local Government Area. This highlights the growing efforts by terrorists to adopt drone attack technology,” he said.
To counter this, he emphasised the need for a comprehensive anti-drone defense system to protect military personnel and assets.
“It is critical to implement a comprehensive and integrated counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle system to safeguard our troops and air assets,” he added.
GIK/APA