Insecurity: ECOWAS to operationalise standby force in 2026

Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Julius Maada Bio, on Sunday, said member states are advancing plans to operationalise the bloc’s Standby Force. He disclosed this while speaking at the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja. According to him, the Standby Force, including […]

Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Julius Maada Bio, on Sunday, said member states are advancing plans to operationalise the bloc’s Standby Force.

He disclosed this while speaking at the 68th Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja.

According to him, the Standby Force, including a 1,650-person counter-terrorism brigade, will be operational by the end of 2026, backed by sustainable funding arrangements.

The President of Sierra Leone, Bio, said terrorism, violent extremism, organised crime, and communal conflicts, particularly in the Sahel, continue to undermine development, stressing that the ECOWAS response must be united, uncompromising, and holistic, pairing security with governance, education, job creation, and community resilience.

Bio condemned recent unconstitutional changes of government in the region, singling out developments in Guinea-Bissau and the attempted coup in Benin.

“ECOWAS does not and will not compromise on democratic governance,” he said.

He commended the swift mobilisation of troops and air assets, with Nigeria taking the lead, as a clear demonstration of the bloc’s resolve.

President Bola Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, appealed for unity, warning that the bloc is weakest when divided.

According to the Nigerian President, terrorism, violent extremism, unconstitutional changes of government, transnational crime, arms proliferation, cyber insecurity, climate shocks, food insecurity, and irregular migration are shared threats requiring coordinated action.

“These challenges recognise no borders. No single member state, regardless of size, can achieve enduring stability in isolation,” he added, reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to ECOWAS-led collective action.