West African CIMICO Centre Cell Launched to Strengthen Civil-Military Cooperation Against Terrorism
A new regional platform, the West African Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMICO) Centre Cell, has been launched to strengthen civil-military cooperation and enhance the civilian dimension of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in addressing terrorism and emerging security threats across West Africa.
The launch took place on Wednesday at the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja during a Country-Level Engagement on Regional Security, organised by the Centre for Civil-Military Cooperation (CIMICO) in collaboration with the ECOWAS Commission.
The engagement, inspired by resolutions of the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government held in December 2025, was themed “Enhancing the Civilian Dimension of the ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF) in Combating Terrorism.” It brought together senior representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, diplomatic missions, the United Nations, ECOWAS Member States, security agencies, development partners, civil society organisations and other regional stakeholders.
Among those present were the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Aminu Sani Yarigaya; representatives of the British High Commission, including Brigadier Tom Harper; the Ambassador of Belgium to Nigeria, H.E. Patrick Englebert; the Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Svein Baera; and envoys from ECOWAS Member States.
Also in attendance were H.E. Grace K., representing the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria; the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS, H.E. Olawale Awe; representatives of the Ghanaian and Senegalese diplomatic missions; officials of the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies; the West African Action Network Against Small Arms (WANSA); and civil society leaders.
In his welcome address, the Coordinator of the CIMICO Centre, Dr. Adams Otakwu mni, said the initiative was designed to move regional responses to terrorism beyond conventional military approaches by strengthening collaboration between security institutions and civilian actors.
He stressed the importance of civil-military cooperation, civic engagement, early warning systems, community stabilisation and strategic partnerships in building resilient communities across the region. He added that the proposed CIMICO Centre Cell would serve as a mechanism for sustaining dialogue and supporting replication of similar initiatives across ECOWAS Member States.
International partners expressed strong support for the initiative. Brigadier Tom Harper of the British High Commission described the engagement as timely, noting the need for a multidimensional response to terrorism.
The Norwegian Ambassador to Nigeria, H.E. Svein Baera, emphasised preventive security approaches and reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to supporting peace and stability efforts in the region.
The Permanent Representative of Nigeria to ECOWAS, H.E. Olawale Awe, also commended the initiative, calling for sustained regional cooperation and stronger civilian participation in addressing evolving security challenges.
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H.E. Grace K., representing the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, highlighted the role of communities in addressing the root causes of violent extremism and expressed the UN’s readiness to support inclusive security approaches. Prof. Muhammad Auwal Sule, Country Director of Makizie International, also called for increased support from development partners to sustain the initiative.
A strategic address on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff of Nigeria was delivered by Col. Micah Yakubu, while the keynote address, delivered on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, reinforced the need for stronger collaboration among government institutions, security agencies, communities and other stakeholders.
A major highlight of the event was a strategic presentation delivered by Mr. Baba Ligbi on behalf of the Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Ambassador Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah.
The presentation underscored the need to reposition the civilian dimension of the ECOWAS Standby Force as a core component of regional counterterrorism efforts. It identified civil-military cooperation, civic engagement, community ownership, early warning systems, strategic communication and partnerships as key priorities for sustained action.
The technical session that followed provided a platform for stakeholders to examine the issues raised and propose practical steps for strengthening the civilian dimension of the ESF. Two syndicate sessions focused on understanding the civilian dimension of the ESF and strategies for civic engagement, early warning and community stabilisation.
Facilitated by David Smiley, Cleff Gai and Prof. Sule, the sessions drew contributions from participants across security, diplomatic, development and civil society sectors.
The engagement concluded with the adoption of a seven-point communiqué affirming the civilian dimension of the ESF as a strategic pillar of regional counterterrorism. The resolutions endorsed the establishment of the West African CIMICO Centre Cell and called for the sustained replication of country-level engagements across ECOWAS Member States.
They also advocated stronger mechanisms for civic engagement, community-based early warning systems, community stabilisation and strategic communication, as well as enhanced civilian capacity through training, research, knowledge exchange and partnerships.
The communiqué further called for deeper collaboration among ECOWAS, the African Union, the United Nations system, development partners, diplomatic missions, academia and civil society, with the outcomes expected to feed into a regional action roadmap on the civilian dimension of the ESF.
In recognition of contributions to regional peace and security, CIMICO presented Service Commendation Plaques to the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy and H.E. Ambassador Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, represented by Dr. Isaac Armstrong.
The organisers said the launch of the CIMICO Centre Cell marks a significant step towards institutionalising sustained civil-military cooperation in West Africa. The platform is expected to support knowledge sharing, civic engagement, capacity development, policy dialogue and strategic partnerships aimed at strengthening the civilian dimension of the ECOWAS Standby Force and enhancing security across the region.
By PRNigeria
