To address terrorist activities and other challenges in the Lake Chad basin, traditional rulers from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger have taken a step towards restoring lasting peace to the region.
The traditional rulers in the four countries have met in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, and resolved to partner with various governments in the region to tackle some of the challenges faced by the populace, which include insurgency, communal conflicts, and the impacts of climate change.
However, as governors and other stakeholders commit to tackling the challenges in the Lake Chad region, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has identified poverty and inequality as fueling the insurgency.
Tinubu stated this on Wednesday when he declared open the fifth meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
According to him, the chain of events that has disrupted the region’s stability in the past 15 years demands that power must be wielded responsibly to guarantee the safety and prosperity of the people.
Tinubu, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, pointedly noted, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, that while military power is necessary to contain these security threats, it must be accompanied by strategies that address their root causes, including poverty, inequality, and a lack of job opportunities for the region’s young population.
The region’s monarchs also resolved to look into the issue of extreme poverty bedevilling the people, the fragility of local institutions, violence against women, and the need to strengthen cross-border cooperation and preserve the indigenous knowledge of the people.
These resolutions were contained in the communique issued at the end of their meeting held between 27th and 28th January at the Muhammad Indimi International Conference Centre at the University of Maiduguri, ahead of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum Meeting holding from 29th to 31st January, 2025.
The communique, with the theme, “Fostering Sustainable Peace through Traditional Rulers in the Lake Chad Basin,” was signed by the chairman of the committee, His Royal Highness, the Emir of Fika, Dr. Muhammad Ibn Abali Muhammad Idrisa, who is also the chairman of the Yobe State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The members are His Majesty, the Sultan of N’Djamena (Chad), and His Majesty, the Sultan of Kousseri (Cameroon).
The traditional rulers, in the communique, resolved to be committed to their role as guardians of traditions, peace, and social cohesion within their various communities.
They also resolved to support the efforts of states and technical and financial partners to restore security, improve local governance, and strengthen the resilience of populations in affected areas.
Military Will Do More To Restore Lasting Peace -CDS
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, has assured that the military will do more to restore lasting peace in the Lake Chad Basin.
He called for unity of purpose among the leaders and other critical actors so as to allow the Lake Chad region to flourish.
General Musa made this call on Wednesday at the 5th Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum meeting in Maiduguri.
In a statement, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, said the CDS was at the meeting to thank other members for their support to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and the Multinational Joint Task Force.
General Musa described the governors’ meeting as timely and pledged to do more to restore lasting peace in the Lake Chad Basin.
He reiterated the Armed Forces’ commitment to assist the governors in addressing regional security problems.
The Nigeria Defence Chief further said that he wished to see Internally Displaced Persons return to their homes and called for the fusion of kinetic and non-kinetic campaigns to win the war against criminalities in the region.
General Musa urged regional leaders to work harmoniously to tackle security challenges.
The document reads in part: “We commit to strengthening our role as custodians of the culture and tradition, peace, preventing and managing community conflicts and promoting dialogue and reconciliation between the parties. We will develop local frameworks for dialogue to promote peaceful coexistence, including youth, women, and marginalised groups.
“We strongly condemn all forms of violence against women, whether physical, psychological, economic, or cultural. We are committed to raising awareness in our communities about women’s rights and promoting respectful and equal behaviours.”
The monarchs pledged to collaborate with local and international institutions to set up mechanisms to protect women victims of violence, including setting up listening and assistance centres as well as integrating women into mediation and decision-making processes, a recognition of their essential role in peacebuilding.
The Lake Chad region’s monarch also committed themselves to promoting cross-border cooperation and strengthening solidarity between communities in the different countries of the Lake Chad Basin as a way of resolving conflicts related to access to natural resources, trade, and people’s mobility.
They also agreed to develop mechanisms for sharing information and best practices to manage common challenges, including security, migration, and resource management.
On preserving cultural values, the traditional rulers committed themselves to transmitting traditional knowledge, including ancestral natural resource management practices, conflict resolution, and ecosystem preservation.
While officially closing the meeting, the executive secretary, Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC), Amb. Maman Nuhu described the gathering as a resounding success, emphasising its significance in fostering dialogue and regional collaboration and addressing critical cross-border challenges confronting the Lake Chad Basin.
The event witnessed a turnout of 35 traditional rulers and stakeholders from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger Republic.
Nuhu commended the governors of Yobe and Borno states, Mai Mala Buni and Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, for their sponsorship and unwavering support, which significantly bolstered the meeting’s success.
He also acknowledged the wisdom and leadership of the traditional rulers, who provided insights on promoting social harmony and preventing violent extremism.
Amb. Nuhu appreciated the technical and financial partners, and representatives from the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), for their active participation and contributions.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has called for a multifaceted response to terrorism, insurgency, and other security threats in the Lake Chad Basin region.
According to him, the chain of events that has disrupted the region’s stability in the past 15 years demands that power must be wielded responsibly to guarantee the safety and prosperity of the people.
Tinubu stated this on Wednesday when he declared open the fifth meeting of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
Hosted by the Yobe State government in Maiduguri, the meeting brings together eight governors from Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and the Republic of the Niger, as well as humanitarian organisations and local and international communities to address pressing security challenges and explore solutions for stability in the Lake Chad region.
The Nigerian leader, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, pointedly noted, in a statement by his spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, that while military power is necessary to contain these security threats, it must be accompanied by strategies that address their root causes, including poverty, inequality, and a lack of job opportunities for the region’s young population.
He lamented that Africa, a continent with the youngest population in the world, “sees its youth become cannon fodder for destructive ideologies and the drivers of conflict. This is the challenge before us: transforming this demographic dividend into a force for good.
“Power’s true essence lies not in its possession but in its application. Hard power may secure borders, but through diplomacy, culture, and shared values, soft power builds bridges and binds us together.”
President Tinubu said every part of the world is entangled in its unique security challenges, resulting in the global military gulping “a historic $2.4 trillion in 2023, with no signs of slowing.”
He observed, however, that “hard power, detached from the moral imperatives of justice and diplomacy, only widens the very divide it seeks to bridge.”
The President told the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum that it was only by sticking to the vision for which the forum was created that pursuing and adopting partnerships that benefit the people could be achieved.
Such partnerships, he said, include the collective commitment to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and advancing the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, even as he noted that the choices made “today will echo through generations, shaping the future of this region.”
Recalling the successes recorded in repelling threats to the region’s borders and sovereignty by elements of terror, the President attributed past victories by member countries to the joint missions they had embarked on.
The Nigerian leader cautioned the governors and other stakeholders against allowing “the geopolitical tensions across the world to sow discord” in the region and submitting themselves “to become tools in any proxy agenda.”
He continued: “The salvation of the Lake Chad region is neither in Europe nor the Americas. It lies in the hands of all those gathered here today. You, distinguished representatives of this forum embody our collective will to protect the region and the transformative potential that stability brings.
“The true enemy remains the non-state actors—those who exploit weak borders, poor governance, and fragile economies to challenge our claim to civilisation. However, the worst threat we may face is not the insurgents or terrorists at odds with our humanity. It is the absence of cooperation, sincerity, and fidelity to our shared pact as brothers’ keepers.”
Earlier, the host governor, Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, described the forum as an opportunity for states around the Lake Chad Basin region across Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon Republics to discuss and reflect on the journey so far since the Regional Strategy for Stabilisation, Recovery, and Resilience became operational six years ago.
His Borno State counterpart, Babagana Umara Zulum commended the forum’s strategic partners, saying their contributions had enabled the forum’s governments to tackle some of their challenges and strengthen and rebuild the Lake Chad region.
He said the platform is a rallying point for political cohesion, fostering regional interaction, sustaining socio-economic development, and regional integration.
Also present at the meeting were Ildjima Abdraman, governor of Hadji Lamis Province in Chad and chair of the Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum; Mohammed Ali Ndume, senator representing Borno South; Kaka Shehu Lawan, senator representing Borno Central; Senator Ahmad Lawan, president of the 9th Senate; and some members of the House of Representatives, among others.
Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso Officially Exit ECOWAS
The three military-led West African nations – Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso – have officially withdrawn from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The regional bloc disclosed this in a statement issued on Wednesday.
This ends a year-long attempt by ECOWAS to convince the countries to reconsider leaving the bloc.
ECOWAS, however, said it intends to “keep its door open” if any of the countries want to return to its fold.
“The withdrawal of Burkina Faso, the Republic of Mali and the Republic of Niger from ECOWAS has become effective today, 29th January 2025,” the commission wrote.
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso first announced their decision to leave ECOWAS in early 2024, following months of tension between the countries and the regional bloc.
The juntas in the three nations had accused ECOWAS of failing to support them in their fight against terrorism and for imposing sanctions that they claim harmed their populations.
They also rejected ECOWAS’ request to reconsider their decision to leave the bloc.
However, in December 2024, they agreed to a six-month grace period following their withdrawal.
