Osinbajo to world leaders: Let’s crush terrorism in Africa

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says world leaders should put aside their differences and work toward eliminating terrorism in Africa.

In a statement released on Tuesday, Laolu Akande, Osinbajo’s spokesperson, said the vice-president made the call in a lecture delivered at King’s College, London.

Osinbajo said there was turmoil in the continent driven in part by poverty, alienation, environmental degradation, and poor governance.

He said terrorism escalated the existing problems and asked world leaders to recognise that a threat of terrorism in any part of the world is a threat to humanity as a whole.

The vice-president said it was important to act fast as statistics have shown that Africa is home to some of the world’s fastest-growing terrorism groups.

“The more pressing problem today is the encroachment by franchises of global terror groups into Africa; although many African countries have acted vigorously to tackle these terrorist groups,” Osinbajo said.

“There is still much more that can be done especially in partnership with the rest of the international community.

“The Sahel appears to be the worst hit; according to the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel has become home to ‘the world’s fastest-growing and most deadly terrorist groups’ and Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 48 percent of global terrorism deaths.

“The Sahel is also said to account for half a million internally displaced persons, 1.8 million people facing food insecurity, and 5.1 million people needing humanitarian assistance.

“Given the scale of the problem and the fact that the threat of terrorism anywhere on earth is a threat to the whole of humanity, I think it is time for the global community to treat the menace of terrorism in the Sahel as a common challenge.

“This is one area in which the great powers and emerging powers can put aside rivalries and work together with ECOWAS and the African Union on an initiative to stamp out terrorism in Africa, especially in the Sahel.”

In the 2023 global terrorism index (GTI) ranking, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was ranked as the 10th deadliest terror group in the world. 

IPOB was said to be responsible for 40 attacks and 57 deaths in 2022 – considered the group’s deadliest year.

Al- Shabaab ranked next with 784 deaths and 315 attacks while Islamic State – Khorasan Province (ISK) recorded 498 deaths and  141 attacks; Jamaat Nusrat Al-Islam wal Muslimeen (JNIM), 279 deaths and 77 attacks; Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), 233 deaths and 30 attacks.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) ranked 6th with 219 deaths and 65 attacks followed by Boko Haram which is responsible for 204 deaths and 64 attacks.

The reports also showed Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as recording 137 deaths and 90 attacks, followed by Islamic State – Sinai Province with 71 deaths and 27 attacks, and then IPOB as number 10th.

Despite the IPOB’s new designation, TheCable had reported how Nigeria is ranked eighth in the 2023 global report.

The ranking comes as progress after the country moved two places away from the sixth position it occupied in the 2022 ratings.