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Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic will stop being members of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, from 2025. President of ECOWAS commission, Alieu Touray, made the announcement on Sunday during the 66th ordinary session of heads of states and governments in Abuja. DAILY POST reported that the military regimes in Burkina Faso,
BREAKING: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger to permanently exit ECOWAS in 2025

Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger Republic will stop being members of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, from 2025.

President of ECOWAS commission, Alieu Touray, made the announcement on Sunday during the 66th ordinary session of heads of states and governments in Abuja.

DAILY POST reported that the military regimes in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced their immediate withdrawal from the ECOWAS in January this year.

Prior to the withdrawal, the trio were suspended from ECOWAS, with Niger and Mali facing heavy sanctions.

However, Touray said ECOWAS has now set the countries’ exit at January 29, 2025 – July 29, 2025.

The ECOWAS president said the timeframe would allow for last mediations and any diplomatic interventions.

The development comes after the military-led governments of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso announced their decision to withdraw from the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, describing the move as “irreversible.”

The three countries, in a joint statement, accused ECOWAS of serving the interests of France, their former colonial power and pledged to chart a new path for their citizens.

The announcement precedes a key ECOWAS summit scheduled for Sunday, where regional leaders had hoped to negotiate a resolution to retain the three nations within the bloc.

BREAKING: Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger to permanently exit ECOWAS in 2025

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the swift deployment of 28,300 tactical operatives to ensure adequate security and protection of critical national assets and infrastructure across states of the federation before, during, and after the Yuletide season. CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations
NSCDC boss orders deployment of 28,300 special tactical operatives to protect critical assets

The Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the swift deployment of 28,300 tactical operatives to ensure adequate security and protection of critical national assets and infrastructure across states of the federation before, during, and after the Yuletide season.

CSC Afolabi Babawale, National Public Relations Officer of the NSCDC National Headquarters, Abuja, stated on Friday that the NSCDC boss decried the defiant acts of some economic saboteurs engaging in illegal dealings in petroleum products, illegal mining activities, vandalism of electrical power installations, destruction of telecommunication equipment, removal of manhole covers, destruction of railway gadgets, and other government utilities provided to ameliorate the hardships of the people and enhance socio-economic life in general.

Dr. Audi charged all zonal and state commandants to step up and advance their intelligence expertise, warning that vandalism of critical infrastructure in any formation would not be tolerated.

He emphasized that the NSCDC remains the lead agency in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure across the federation.

“This is our statutory mandate and must not be compromised; all hands must be on deck as we approach the end of the year. You are aware that criminal-minded persons often take advantage of festive seasons to perpetrate their nefarious activities.

“I therefore charge you to brighten your eagle eyes and reinvigorate your intelligence tactics, as this would make you more proactive than reactive,” he said.

The CG further hinted that the operatives deployed were drawn from all crack squads, special forces, intelligence units, the anti-vandal unit, and the operations department.

He noted that all identified flashpoints would be closely monitored, adding that recreational centers, religious gatherings, motor parks, amusement parks, shopping malls, and other areas of importance would not be left unattended.

While congratulating Christian worshippers on the celebration of the birth of Christ, Dr. Audi said the NSCDC would work in collaboration with sister security agencies to forestall the activities of criminal-minded individuals who might want to cause mayhem, disrupt law and order, or vandalize government utilities, among others.

He affirmed that the Christmas and New Year celebrations would be hitch-free, urging the public to provide credible intelligence to the NSCDC and other security agencies to facilitate the arrest of suspected criminals.

NSCDC boss orders deployment of 28,300 special tactical operatives to protect critical assets