We must join forces to fight insecurity, Buhari tells ECOWAS leaders

President Muhammadu Buhari has called on leaders across West Africa to join forces together in the fight against insecurity.

Buhari, who is the chairman of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), said this on Saturday at the 55th ordinary session of the authority of heads of state and government of ECOWAS.

The president said while member countries are making individual efforts to tackle insecurity, “recent developments have shown that we must cooperate more effectively to achieve our goals”.

According to him, the countries must end the social menace if they want to achieve full regional integration.

“Taking into account the transnational nature of the threats confronting us, the need for the adoption of a common strategy at the national and regional level to combat them, has become imperative,” Buhari said.

“By so doing, we will reinforce our actions and resources for a more effective response to protect our citizens and secure our common space.

“I acknowledge that several initiatives and measures have been taken in our respective countries; recent developments have shown that we must cooperate more effectively to achieve our goals.

“We should send a strong and unified message to the perpetrators of violence that we are resolute in our collective determination to confront and defeat them.

“We are all witnesses to the recurring incidents of inter-communal clashes, herders-farmers conflicts, banditry and terrorist attacks in all our countries.

“These threats, you will agree with me, have consequences on the peaceful co-existence between our communities and peoples, as well as their livelihoods.

“This unrest also undermines all our efforts in achieving full regional integration. It is, therefore, necessary that we act collectively to end this menace in the interest of regional stability and wellbeing of our people.

“Considering the high level of interest you all attach to regional cooperation and integration, I am confident that our summit will witness robust discussions and produce sound decisions.”