By John Okeke
Insecurity, Covid-19 vaccination among other were issues raised by Benin, Nigeria and Burkina Faso as they presented their country reports at the ongoing 2021 Second Ordinary Session of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) parliament in Abuja, Nigeria.
Presenting their country’s reports , Benin delegation said security in the country is dependent upon how other West African countries grappling with terrorism in their states.
“The sub-regional security situation continues to be marked by terrorism coupled with the activities of transnational criminal organizations, inter-community conflicts and trafficking of all kinds.
In recent months, there has been a strong push to the South, under the influence of terrorist groups that are rife in the front line countries (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger). This constitutes a serious threat to the coastal countries and denotes the precariousness of sub-regional security, even if the situation still appears to be under control.
Benin’s internal security is logically dependent on the regional situation and the country is also exposed to the terrorist threat and other related forms of crime.
This is why the Government is taking measures to prevent, but also, to react to all these threats in a strategic approach that relies on cooperation in matters of intelligence and security.
“In a context where no country is immune, Benin, by virtue of its geographical position, appears even more exposed. Indeed, the northern border areas of the country, mainly in the border region with Burkina Faso, the populations often report the presence of suspicious and sometimes armed people who could well be elements of terrorist groups or at least, members of criminal networks established in the Department of Fada-Ngourma (Burkina Faso).
“It is strongly feared that the border dispute between the two countries in the village of Kourou Koualou is a factor in worsening security in this area. Indeed, criminal groups take advantage of the real lack of security control by either country to make it an area of comfort and a variety of trafficking.
Kidnapping with Demand for Ransom
This is a criminal phenomenon that took worrying proportions between 2019 and 2020.”
“The Security Forces recorded around 40 cases in 2019; but in 2020, over 50 cases were reported. Fortunately, the urgent measures taken by the Ministry of the Interior and Public Security have substantially reduced the phenomenon with less than ten cases reported since January 2021.
The specificity of this phenomenon is that it is intra-community. It is within the pastoralist community that it manifests itself, where perpetrators and victims all come from the same Peuhl (or Fulani) ethnic group. Very often, it is within the same family circle that the crime is committed or committed with the complicity of a member of the victim’s family.
This situation is quite worrying, because from what we can see in countries totally entangled today in the torments of terrorist violence, the phenomenon of kidnapping contributes to the financing of terrorist groups or constitutes an activity of choice for organized transnational criminal groups,” the delegation said.
On Covid-19 vaccination, the delegation said,”the Minister of Health, Benjamin HOUNKPATIN, launched the national vaccination campaign against Covid-19. The official ceremony took place on Monday, March 29, 2021 at the Palais des Congrès in Cotonou. A total of 115 vaccination centres are prepared to receive the target persons. These are first-line health workers, people over the age of 60 and people living with co-morbidities such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, sickle cell disease, etc. Thus, the vaccination campaign continues.”
The Nigerian Delegation on the other hand said security incidents in the North East have significantly dwindled.
In the report presented by Honourable Linda Ikpeazu, the Nigerian delegation told the ECOWAS Parliament that the country remained stable, despite pockets of insecurity incidents.
Members of the delegation are the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Idris Wase; Senators Ali Ndume, Biodun Olujimi, Emmanuel Bwacha, Smart Adeyemi, Godiya Akwashiki, Francis Alimhikhena, Ajayi Borrofice; Hon Michael Umeoji, Bamidele Salam, amongst others.
The delegation further said the country has recorded several victories in the fight against insurgency and banditry.
It stated that regarding the Boko Haram Insurgency, in August 2021, the Nigerian Government, through intensive efforts of the Nigerian Army, recorded a milestone in the fight against local terrorism with at least 186 members of the Islamic State West Africa (ISWAP) and Boko Haram surrendering to Nigerian troops.
“As a result of this recent unprecedented mass surrender of ISWAP and Boko Haram members, security incidents in their operating areas of the North East have significantly dwindled.
“In September 2021, the Nigerian Army also raided an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) materials hub in Borno and Yobe states and also succeeded in arresting a high-profile Boko Haram member. The operation was carried out by the Joint Task Force North East Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK),” the Delegates to ECOWAS Parliament said.
On the issue of herders-farmers conflict, the Delegates to ECOWAS Parliament said Nigeria has recorded significantly, reduced security incidents from herder-farmer clashes.
It also said the positive outcome is reportedly attributed to the anti-open grazing ban that was declared by governors in the southern states of the country earlier in the year.
“In September 2021, the South-South state of Bayelsa confirmed that the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law has effectively restored calmness in the state and has reduced the constant frictions between the herders and other residents of the state,” the Delegates to ECOWAS Parliament also said.
Speaking on the security incidents in South East, the delegation stated that although there have been increased security incidents in the South-eastern states, the region remained stable.
“These security occurrences are large as a result of the activities of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) group and criminal elements, whose operations have wreaked havoc in the region.
“The region has recorded over 200 per cent increase in killings and violent attacks on civilians and government forces since the capture of IPOB’s leader in June 2021. The leader of the group is currently in custody and being charged with treason.
“As a result of the Nigerian government’s commitment to bringing peace and tranquillity to the region, the security situation in the South-east has improved dramatically,” the Delegates to ECOWAS Parliament further said.
On vaccination , the Nigerian delegate said,”Nigeria’s vaccination programme had, from the outset, been trailed by a number of setbacks. From challenges around production rights, distribution bottlenecks, to widespread apathy amongst Nigerians, towards the vaccine.
Notwithstanding these initial challenges, we are making giant strides in ensuring that a considerable number of Nigerians are vaccinated in the shortest possible time. We are currently set to kick off the third phase of our vaccination programme.
According to the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria has successfully vaccinated 3,938,945 (three million, nine hundred and thirty-eight thousand, nine hundred and forty-five) eligible people across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT. This represents 98% utilisation of the 4,024,000 (four million, and twenty-four thousand) doses of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine. In total, 2,534,205 (two million, five hundred and thirty-four thousand, two hundred and five) people have received the first dose of the vaccine, while 1,404,205 (one million, four hundred and four thousand, two hundred and five) persons have received the second dose of the vaccine.”
Burkina Faso delegate also noted that the country faces security threats in their country.
