Terrorism: ECOWAS, CBCN advocate strengthened regional ties

ECOWAS President

By Evelyn Okakwu

President of the Economic Community of West African States, (ECOWAS) has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to strengthen regional ties in the fight against terrorism.

 speaking during the inter-religous dialogue and ecumenism commission, a program organised in Abuja by the episcopal committee on dialogue of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Nigeria, (CBCN), with the theme: religious extremism and its challenges in west Africa, the ECOWAS president who was represented by Prof. Kyari Mohammed of the Centre for Peace and Security Studies, Modibbo Adama University of Technology, Yola said: "Their is the need for the state of Nigeria and all its regional neighbours to Coporate on a regional bases".
"Either through
the Lake-chard basin commission, through ECOWAS or the esterblishment of a military alliance, such as the multinational joint task force".
"The current development where the Chadian military has been engaged to liberate parts of Bornu, is a little heart warming".
"The development of the region should be a priority for the federal government of this country".

Speaking earlier, the convener of the meeting, Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, in his opening address, said that the dialogue was an opportunity to create harmony and consensus among religious groups.
``This dialogue is a laudable initiative and a great opportunity to create harmony and consensus amongst all faith-based groups in the continent of Africa,” Kukah said.
He added however that the fight against terrorism can only be truly won, along with the fight against poverty
"Even if Biko Haram goes, but poverty and injustice persists, it may still mutate in another form".
Delivering the opening address, Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua, of the Catholic Secretariat Abuja, lauded the idea of religious leaders from across West Africa forming a synergy on religious tolerance.
He said that the dialogue was necessary to address the decline in human dignity as perpetuated by some religious extremists.
``The coming together of the countries of West Africa to discuss the common concerns of inter-religious dialogue is imperative now more than ever before.
``Our region is witnessing a serious decline in the sense of human dignity because of the spate at which some people take human lives due to religious extremism.
``It is hoped that ECOWAS response to religious extremism in West Africa would direct citizens in the region to peaceful coexistence and religious harmony,’’ he said.