By Idriss LAWAL
The United Nations has warned of the expansion of terror groups across West Africa and the Sahel. They have also been identified as a major driver of drug trafficking in that area.
Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Leonardo Santos Simão, said they are using increasingly sophisticated methods and threatening the stability of coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea.
This is coming on the heels of the recent abduction of school teachers and pupils of a local school in the southwest state of Oyo.
The victims were rescued after 52 days in captivity by combined Nigerian forces in an operation that lasted one month.
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He stated this while briefing the UN Security Council, saying armed groups continue to pose a serious security challenge, particularly in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria. Africans& Diaspora
“On the security situation, the threat posed by terrorists and other non-state armed groups remains acute, especially in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria, rapidly targeting coastal states in the Gulf of Guinea.
“These groups are adapting their tactics, increasingly using advanced technology, such as drones.”
Simão also warned that drug trafficking is becoming increasingly intertwined with terrorism, while humanitarian access remains severely restricted in many conflict-affected areas. He said women, children and young people continue to bear the brunt of the violence, with attacks on schools threatening the future of entire communities.
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The Security Council also heard calls for greater regional cooperation and dialogue to address the root causes of insecurity, including poverty, weak governance and climate vulnerability.
Responding to the concerns, Burkina Faso’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Saïdou Zongo said countries in the Alliance of Sahel States remain committed to working toward peace despite ongoing security challenges.
