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Insecurity: 14,500 dead in 4½ years in West Africa, ECOWAS Commission laments

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has said 14,500 people have been killed by terrorists in the sub-region in the last 54 months.

The commission’s outgoing President Jean-Claude Kassi Brou said the number of refugees seeking humanitarian assistance is 5,500,000.

Kassi Brou, who is to assume the position of the Governor of the West African Bank, spoke in Abuja during the handover of power to the new management of the commission, led by ECOWAS Commission President Omar Alieu Touray.

He said: “First of all, the deterioration of the security situation has caused havoc, not only in the Sahel area – affecting Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the Northeast of Nigeria – but it soon expanded to the coastal zone, hitting Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo.

“Terrorist attacks and herds of bandits plunged these countries into mourning with close to 14,500 dead in 4½ years, threatening the peace of rural population, and forcing people to seek shelter away from their home areas.

“Thus, the number of refugees and internally displaced people in our region reached about 5,500,000 persons who are in need of humanitarian assistance.”

The commission, the outgoing President said, had reached out to provide assistance to many of them, as well as to victims of natural disasters.

He added that a regional action plan to combat terrorism in the region had been followed.

Brou said the plan would require sustained commitment, including financial support from member-states for it to yield expected result.

“Regional action plan to combat terrorism in West Africa has been elaborated and is being implemented. It will necessitate sustained commitment, including financial support from member-states to produce the expected results in the medium to long term,” he said.

On the political front, Brou, who is leaving the commission after completing his four-year term in office, decried the spate of military takeovers in the region.

He said: “On the political front, we have noted the deepening of the democratic culture in our region, with 11 countries having peacefully conducted presidential and legislative elections during our tenure. Unfortunately, three countries, namely Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, have experienced unconstitutional changes of powers.

“The Authority of Heads of State and Government having designated mediators for these countries, negotiations are ongoing with their respective Transition Authorities to support these member-countries for them to return to constitutional order and regain their full place in the community.”

Touray assured the community that his team would do everything possible to bring the ongoing reform to a logical conclusion.

He added that his team remained committed to the welfare of the community.

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