The United Nations has raised the alarm on the escalating humanitarian crisis of terrorism in West Africa and the Sahel, revealing that at least 1,364 children were recruited by armed groups in 2024, while over 14,000 schools have been forced to shut down due to insecurity.
This was made known on Wednesday by Leonardo Simão, UN Under Secretary-General and Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, at the Regional Conference on Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS Region and the Sahel, held in Abuja.
Simão described the statistics as a sobering reflection of “stolen futures, fractured communities, and deepening fragility,” stressing that terrorist groups have shown remarkable adaptability, exploiting ungoverned spaces, local grievances, and advanced technologies such as drones, encrypted communications, and cyber tools to execute sophisticated attacks.
“The human cost is staggering: 1,364 children recruited by armed groups in 2024 across six countries; 466 cases of sexual violence; and 14,364 schools closed in the region due to insecurity,” he said.
According to the UN envoy, five of the 10 most terrorism-impacted countries globally are in West Africa and the Sahel, with fatalities rising in 2024.
Extremist violence, he warned, is now spilling into sensitive border zones such as the Tambacounda region, which cuts across Mali, Senegal, Guinea, and Mauritania and even protected conservation areas like Park W, Arly, and Pendjari, straddling Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger.
“These incursions threaten livelihoods, biodiversity, and eco-tourism, proving that no space is beyond the reach of violent extremism,” Simão said.
The UN envoy identified political disputes among neighbouring states and the worsening effects of climate change as major drivers of extremist recruitment.
He warned that insecurity was forcing states to prioritise defence spending over essential services, with the Central Sahel projected to allocate $3.2 billion to defence in 2025, diverting resources from education, health, and climate adaptation.
“Terrorist groups exploit vulnerabilities, embedding themselves in marginalised communities and using local grievances as recruitment tools,” he added.
Simão urged regional leaders to adopt a holistic approach that integrates military action with political dialogue, strengthened social services, and sustainable development, particularly targeting youth and women.
He also called for stronger action against organised crime, including drug trafficking, illegal mining, and arms smuggling, which provide funding for terrorism.
He commended ECOWAS’ recent efforts to preserve free movement with the Alliance of Sahel States and its collaboration with the African Union to establish a Joint Threat Fusion and Analysis Cell for improved intelligence sharing.
Speaking at the conference, Mohammed Badaru, Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, stressed that terrorism has become one of the greatest threats to peace and stability in the region and requires a united front.
“For too long, our responses have been fragmented. National efforts, though commendable, have not been sufficient against a transnational menace. Security in one country is inseparable from the security of its neighbours,” Badaru said.
The minister emphasised that intelligence must be treated as the “primary force multiplier” in the fight against extremist groups.
He called for the creation of permanent platforms for the real-time exchange of intelligence on terrorist financing, movements, and recruitment.
“Intelligence must be integrated, not merely shared. The use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence for regional early-warning systems is no longer aspirational but necessary.
“Yet as we innovate, we must also uphold human rights and safeguard civil liberties. Security must strengthen legitimacy, not weaken it,” he said.
Badaru further advocated joint and multinational military operations under clear command structures and pushed for the rapid operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force.
He also urged the harmonisation of legal frameworks across member states to ensure that terrorists and their networks have no safe havens within the region.
BusinessDay
