Omar Touray, president of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, has commended Nigeria for its leadership in tackling security challenges in West Africa over the past decade.
Touray made said during a public lecture organised by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
He was represented at the event by Isaac Armstrong from ECOWAS directorate of peacekeeping and regional security.
In his speech, Touray recognised the collective efforts of ECOWAS countries in addressing terrorism in the region.
However emphasised the need for individual member states to take full responsibility for their national security.
“This sub-regional resolve does not take away the responsibility bestowed on individual member states in taking full ownership of their national security responsibilities,” he said.
Touray also highlighted the commitment of ECOWAS to working with Nigeria, acknowledging the country’s leadership under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is also the chair of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government.
“We are very proud of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for the dogged efforts invested in over a decade, which has yielded visible results and reduced the effectiveness of Boko Haram terrorists to mere rubbles and pockets of attacks,” he said.
“We reiterate our appreciation to the leadership role Nigeria continues to play and for providing a huge financial support in which the vehicle of the Commission rides on.”
Touray noted that terrorism remains the biggest security threat in the region, adding that ECOWAS leaders are working to establish a 5,000-member standby force to combat it.
