ECOWAS Declares Regional Emergency Amid Rising Coups And Instability In West Africa

By Lenon Itai Rwizi

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has declared a state of emergency across the region following a series of coups and attempted mutinies.

Omar Touray, president of the ECOWAS Commission, announced the declaration on Tuesday during the 55th session of the Mediation and Security Council at the ministerial level in Abuja. He said recent events underscore the “imperative of serious introspection on the future of our democracy and the urgent need to invest in the security of our community.”

Last month, military officers in Guinea-Bissau seized control of the government and suspended elections just days after a presidential vote. On Sunday, soldiers in Benin Republic attempted a takeover, prompting the Nigerian Air Force to intervene to restore constitutional order at the request of the Benin government, according to President Bola Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga. The breakaway Alliance of Sahel States (AES) later accused Nigeria of violating its airspace, warning it could neutralise intruders.

Touray described elections as a “major trigger of instability” in West Africa, noting that political practices continue to undermine ECOWAS’ efforts to safeguard democracy despite support programmes and constitutional convergence principles.

He highlighted the upcoming elections in Guinea, Benin, Gambia, and Cape Verde, stressing the need for stronger cooperation with neighbours, including AES, to address security threats from terrorist groups and banditry operating across borders.

Touray urged the council to maintain ECOWAS unity amid rising geopolitical pressures and called for pooled resources to confront terrorism and banditry while reinforcing democratic stability across the region.

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Lenon Itai Rwizi is a Registered Legal Practitioner of the Superior Courts of Zimbabwe and can be contacted on: +263 774 159 146 or +263 713 967 341 [email protected]. The above does not constitute formal legal advice, and neither does not create any type of attorney-client relationship. Please seek legal advice from your own by contacting the writer https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057530166769 ) or any attorney of your choice.