VICE-PRESIDENT Yemi Osinbajo has urged world leaders to put aside their differences and work toward eliminating terrorism in Africa.
Osinbajo made the call in a lecture delivered at King’s College, London where he decried terrorism in the Sahel region of Africa.
Stating that terrorism has escalated the existing problems, the Vice President urged world leaders to recognise that terrorism in any part of the world is a threat to humanity as a whole.
“The more pressing problem today is the encroachment by franchises of global terror groups into Africa; although many African countries have acted vigorously to tackle these terrorist groups,” Osinbajo was quoted as saying in a statement by his media aide, Laolu Akande.
“There is still much more that can be done especially in partnership with the rest of the international community.
“The Sahel appears to be the worst hit; according to the 2022 Global Terrorism Index, the Sahel has become home to ‘the world’s fastest-growing and most deadly terrorist groups’ and Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for 48 percent of global terrorism deaths.
“The Sahel is also said to account for half a million internally displaced persons, 1.8 million people facing food insecurity, and 5.1 million people needing humanitarian assistance.
“Given the scale of the problem and the fact that the threat of terrorism anywhere on earth is a threat to the whole of humanity, I think it is time for the global community to treat the menace of terrorism in the Sahel as a common challenge.
“This is one area in which the great powers and emerging powers can put aside rivalries and work together with ECOWAS and the African Union on an initiative to stamp out terrorism in Africa, especially in the Sahel.”
