Defence minister Mohammed Badaru has said that while military forces were essential for combating insurgency, they alone are insufficient to deliver sustainable peace in West Africa and the Sahel.

Mr Badaru stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at the opening of the Regional Conference on Combating Emerging Terrorist Groups and Strengthening Sustainable Security in the ECOWAS and Sahel Region, organised by the National Counter Terrorism Centre.

He said the region must look beyond battlefield victories to address the root causes of radicalisation, such as poverty, unemployment, exclusion, and weak governance.

According to him, extremist groups thrive in environments where grievances are left unaddressed and institutions are either weak or absent.

“The task before us is clear. We must combine military strength with governance reforms and socio-economic development. Winning the hearts and minds of our populations will deny extremist groups the local support they seek to exploit.

“Military force is necessary but not sufficient. Investing in education, strengthening community resilience, and ensuring good governance are equally critical to our long-term security,” he said.

The minister urged ECOWAS member states to prioritise intelligence integration, joint military operations, and socio-economic interventions to effectively counter terrorism in the region.

He also called for the operationalisation of the ECOWAS Standby Force, the establishment of a regional counterterrorism task force, and stronger legal frameworks to deny terrorists safe havens.

Mr Badaru further applauded President Bola Tinubu’s leadership, noting that Nigeria had taken bold steps through joint operations across the North-East, North-West, and North-Central, as well as support for the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad Basin.

He said initiatives like Operation Safe Corridor, which rehabilitates and reintegrates repentant insurgents, had contributed to breaking the cycle of violence and rebuilding trust within communities.

The minister also commended the contributions of international partners, including the UN, AU, EU, U.S., and UK, stressing that deeper collaboration was needed to fund intelligence platforms, support ECOWAS standby operations, and sustain socio-economic programmes.

“The fight against terrorism is not only a battle for security. It is a struggle for the very future of our societies. The choices we make today will determine whether we secure a future of peace, stability, and prosperity for our region,” he said.

(NAN)