The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says plans are underway by the regional bloc to activate a 260,000-member counter-terrorism brigade.
President of ECOWAS, Omar Alieu Touray, stated this at the 2025 African Chiefs of Defence Staff summit in Abuja. The summit’s theme was, “Combating contemporary threats to regional peace and security in Africa: the role of strategic Defence collaboration.”
Touray, who was represented by ECOWAS commissioner for political affairs, peace and security, Amb. Abdel-Fatau Musah, said this was part of the efforts to reduce the scourge of terrorism and other forms of insecurity in the sub-region. He said besides the counter-terrorism effort, the bloc is also pursuing the operationalization of its integrated maritime security, adding that no region in Africa is spared the scourge of terrorism, civil and predatory wars, organized crime, and underdevelopment.