Some members of the ECOWAS Parliament called for concerted efforts by West African member states and the Authority of Heads of State and Government to tackle growing insecurity in Nigeria.
Members of the ECOWAS Parliament gave the recommendations Thursday in Abuja following the presentation of a country report by the Nigerian delegation highlighting the wave of insecurity across the country.
According to parliamentarians, Nigeria occupies an important position in the sub-region and growing insecurity and community clashes in the country have the capacity to have a negative impact on neighboring countries.
Hon. Shaka Sama, an independent representative from Sierra Leone lamented the growing level of insecurity in the region as presented by most member states in their reports.
Sama noted that it would be difficult to support economic development in the region given the worrying level of insecurity in the region.
“We must mobilize the concerted efforts of all ECOWAS institutions, the Authority of Heads of State and Government to examine the factors responsible for the security challenges and how to end them.
“Nigeria is very strategic for the sub-region and concerted efforts to end insecurity in Nigeria will help tackle insecurity in other countries in the region.
“A threat to peace and stability in one place is also a threat to peace and stability everywhere.
“We have to work together as a region to stop this problem because many western countries are taking advantage of our insecurity,” Sama said.
Likewise, the Hon. Califa Seidi, a representative from Guinea-Bissau, said that if Nigeria, the largest country in the region, could challenge security on the current scale, it meant the region was truly unsafe.
Seidi therefore urged the ECOWAS institutions to do what needs to be done to meet the challenge.
“It is important for ECOWAS to work together, in particular the Authority of Heads of State and Government… to adopt effective measures to deal with the threat.
“It has become a concern for all of us Member States and we need to think about it seriously because our citizens are dying and it is having a negative impact on our economy,” Seidi said.
Hon. Sani Boucary, third vice-president and representative of the Republic of Niger, congratulated Nigeria and its armed forces for being at the forefront of interventions in the region.
Boucary also praised Nigeria for the leading role it plays in ensuring political stability in the region.
He said all recommendations made would be duly noted and forwarded to the relevant authorities.
The Nigerian News Agency (NAN) reports that previously, when presenting its national report, the Nigerian delegation said the security situation in the country was dire.
The delegation denounced the wave of unbridled violence, kidnappings and killings perpetrated by terrorist groups, bandits and other criminal elements.
(NAN)
