Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali Exit From ECOWAS Disrupted Security Frameworks – Air Chief

Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, the head of Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff (CAS), is concerned that the ability of the joint security force to carry out operations will be impacted by the country’s concerns that the withdrawal of the Alliance of Sahel States from ECOWAS has had an impact on the existing security arrangements and plans by Chad to leave the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Air Marshal Abubakar, who spoke at a review meeting with field commanders in Abuja, said the terrorist organization’s use of drones carrying locally manufactured grenades in a kamikaze role to attack troops in Damboa last year demonstrates the expansion of terrorist efforts to use drone attack technology.

To safeguard troops and air assets, the Chief of the Air Staff emphasized the importance of implementing a comprehensive and integrated Counter-Unmanned Aerial Vehicle system.

After a one-year notice period expired, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) recognized the exit of three of its former members, Burkinabe, Mali, and Niger Republic.

READ ALSO: ECOWAS Cash-Strapped Before Nigeria Paid ₦85bn, $54m Levy — Official

However, ECOWAS requested that its member nations accept the three exiting nations’ national passports until further notice in “the spirit of regional solidarity.”

The region has been fracturing as a result of their exit from the bloc, leaving the ECOWAS grouping with uncertain future.

The three junta-led countries formally notified ECOWAS of their plan for an “immediate” withdrawal in January 2024, citing the organisation’s excessive dependence on France in particular.

The three juntas now favor partnerships with nations like Russia, Turkey, and Iran, which has Paris as their common enemy.

However, ECOWAS required one year’s notice for the departure to be effective — that deadline falls on Wednesday.

Source: Channels TV