Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso ECOWAS Exit Increasing Nigerian Military Burden — Air Chief

 Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, says the recent withdrawal of Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali from ECOWAS has placed more burden on the Nigerian mil­itary.

Abubakar said this at the opening of the First Quar­ter Meeting with Branch Chiefs, Air Officers Com­manding, and Commanders on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said that the with­drawal of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) from the existing security frame­works had disrupted the ex­isting security frameworks in the region.

According to him, this development has direct implications for the Multi­national Joint Task Force (MNJTF), which plays a crucial role in countering Boko Haram and ISWAP across Nigeria, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.

“With AES member states opting out and Chad considering withdrawal, the MNJTF’s capacity to conduct joint operations is now significantly affected.

“As a result, the burden on the Armed Forces of Ni­geria to support the MNJTF will increase, demanding a more robust, agile, and adaptive response from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).

“Strengthening opera­tional readiness, enhancing inter-agency coordination, and leveraging advanced air power will be critical in mitigating these evolv­ing threats as we progress through 2025,” he said.

The CAS said that the Sahel region had contin­ued to be a hotspot for ter­rorism and insurgency, with Al-Qaeda-affiliated extrem­ist groups exploiting weak governance structures to expand their influence.

He added that the porous borders in the Lake Chad Basin had also allowed the extremist elements to sus­tain their activities, posing a persistent threat to region­al stability.

Abubakar said the Gulf of Guinea also remained vulnerable to maritime crimes, including piracy and illegal oil bunkering, necessitating sustained ae­rial surveillance and stron­ger regional cooperation to bolster maritime security.

According to him, ad­dressing these challenges requires a unified approach, emphasising coordinated air operations, intelligence sharing, and strategic part­nerships.

He said the meeting would provide a valuable opportunity for them to re­view the security landscape of Nigeria in 2024, critically assess their operational suc­cesses and challenges, and project actionable strategies for the NAF operations in 2025.

“As the senior leadership of the Nigerian Air Force, we shoulder the vital re­sponsibility of ensuring the effective deployment of air power in support of nation­al security objectives.

“I deeply appreciate your dedication and support so far, and I urge each of us to engage in today’s dis­cussions with the utmost commitment, foresight, and resolve,” he added.