And enamoured of the initiative, the United States released a $5 million grant to the group in addition to the $21 million Nigeria had provided. ECOWAS leaders can get the US, France, Britain and Israel, which have a wealth of experience in fighting terror wars, to support the region to the hilt. As they are among the five deadliest terror groups in the world, according to Global Terrorism Index, they could mutate into worse forms. However, the level of international support will first be shaped by the seriousness that ECOWAS member-countries attach to this new awakening. Adding terrorism, banditry and herdsmen killings to her development millstone would be too cumbrous to bear.

Source: Punch January 09, 2020 23:03 UTC