The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has called on defence chiefs from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to prioritize upholding democratic values and prevent military takeovers in the region.
Speaking at the 42nd Ordinary Meeting of the ECOWAS Committee of Chiefs of Defence Staff in Abuja, General Musa emphasized the need to eliminate the threat of military coups, which he said has created unintended consequences and undermined democratic values in West Africa.
The meeting, attended by defence chiefs from 15 ECOWAS member states, aimed to address regional security challenges, including terrorism and the illicit movement of small arms and light weapons.
Nigeria’s Minister of Defence, Mohammed Abubakar, and Foreign Affairs Minister, Yusuf Tuggar, also urged the defence chiefs to collaborate effectively to combat terrorism and insecurity in the region.
Notably, defence chiefs from seven ECOWAS member states, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, were absent from the meeting. These countries have recently experienced military takeovers and have since withdrawn from ECOWAS.
The meeting comes as ECOWAS considers establishing a regional force to counter security challenges, including the growing threat of jihadist groups in the Sahel region.
