Atiku: Nigeria needs tighter measures on borders as Burkina Faso, Msli, Niger quit ECOWAS

The Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has warned that Nigeria needs to take tighter security measures following Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger’s withdrawal from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS.

Indeed, the military administrations of the three Sahel countries, who have had strained ties with ECOWAS over sanctions placed on them, announced their immediate exit from the regional body in a joint statement.

Many feel that the pullout will have an impact on Nigeria’s war against terrorism, given that the country’s borders Niger Republic to the north.

Concerned about the development, the former Vice President, Atiku, in a short message posted on X, described the situation as a “serious diplomatic meltdown.”

Atiku maintained that Nigeria must now double its efforts to protect its security interests.

“Reports about the withdrawal of three countries from our sub-regional body, @ecowas_cedeao, is concerning. It is a matter of serious diplomatic meltdown. We must keep the country’s national security interest, especially the fight against terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, and others in focus while we appraise the situation,” he said.