President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in the West African sub-region, citing escalating violent extremism, terrorism, military coups, banditry and deepening political instability.
Touray made the declaration during the 55th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council (MSC) at the ministerial level in Abuja.
He said recent developments had underscored the need for serious reflection on the future of democracy in the region and urgent investment in its security architecture.
“Faced with this situation, it is safe to declare that our community is in a state of emergency.
We must confront these threats with the attention they deserve,” he stated.
High-Risk Security Assessment Across Member States
Touray disclosed that a country-by-country analysis showed varying but alarming risk levels across the region, ranging from medium to high, with an overall high-risk average.
He stressed that the situation demanded immediate and concerted action, including more frequent MSC meetings beyond the usual two annual sessions.
He also called for a stronger collective approach to combating terrorism and banditry, which he said operate across borders without restraint.
Elections Now a Trigger for Instability
The ECOWAS Commission president warned that elections had increasingly become major triggers of unrest in the sub-region despite ongoing efforts to uphold democratic norms and constitutional governance.
He said ECOWAS must intensify its political and security monitoring and deepen engagement with the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), especially on cross-border security cooperation.
Touray noted that the region would be monitoring sensitive elections in:
Guinea
Benin Republic
The Gambia
Cape Verde
He added that the bloc would also be handling post-coup developments in Guinea-Bissau and the coup attempt in Benin Republic.
7.6 Million People Displaced Across West and Central Africa
Touray lamented the worsening humanitarian crisis, stating that as of October 2025, some 7.6 million people were forcibly displaced across West and Central Africa, up from 7.4 million in March.
According to UNHCR data cited by him:
6,506,270 are internally displaced persons (IDPs)
Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali host the highest IDP numbers
1,094,742 are refugees and asylum seekers
Major host countries include Niger, Mali, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin, Senegal and The Gambia
Touray reassured citizens of ECOWAS’ commitment to restoring regional stability.
“We will continue to work harder to promote a peaceful, stable and stronger region,” he said.
Sierra Leone Warns of Eroding Public Confidence
Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers and Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Timothy Kabba, cautioned that worsening political and security turbulence was undermining democratic governance and citizens’ trust.
“Our citizens are understandably anxious. They expect seriousness, unity and purpose,” he said.
“Our resolutions must go beyond rhetoric.”
Meeting Focused on Strategic Regional Response
The session, attended by ministers and security chiefs from member states, reviewed the region’s political and security challenges and considered strategies for coordinated regional action.
