Cote d’Ivoire has emerged as the latest victim in the web of terror that has been spreading at a seemingly unstoppable rate across the west coast of Africa. Nobody bargained for the midday attack of March 13 on the popular tourist resort of Grand-Bassam, near Abidjan. There had never been any threat of terrorism in that country. But, by the time the dust had settled on that day, no fewer than 16 people had been reported dead, including a German and a French citizen. This attack, once again, reminded us of the vulnerability of tourist places and where people are gathered in large numbers.
It was the third of such attacks on a French-speaking West African country for which the deadly al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb terrorist group has claimed responsibility. A similar assault had been carried out in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso in November last year, and in Bamako, Mali, two months ago, leading to a combined loss of 42 lives. In all the instances, the attacks were carried out by men wielding automatic weapons and trying to kill as many people as possible. With these attacks and the deadly Boko Haram activities, West Africa is joining the ranks of Middle East, North Africa, Southeast Asia and South Asia that are globally known to be the hotbeds of Islamist terrorism.
As usual, the beach at Grand-Bassam was swarming with visitors, mostly wealthy Ivorians and Western tourists, swimming, eating, drinking and generally relaxing, when it suddenly came under sustained gunfire attack, lasting for about 15 minutes. It was under similar circumstances that the attack on the Hotel Splendid and Cappuccino Café in Ouagadougou, as well as the one on Radisson Blue Hotel in Bamako, took place.
Obviously, the attacks were not just meant to kill, but to strike right at the heart of the relaxation spots frequented by the elite of the affected countries, particularly the French and citizens of other Western countries. They were meant to send a message that the group can strike wherever it likes and whenever it chooses. Coupled with the recent terror incidents in mainland France, the ones in French-speaking West African countries are seen as an attempt to get back at the European country for its role in chasing away jihadists that had invaded Mali and almost overthrew the legitimate government in Bamako three years ago.
Other factors that can be adduced to explain the escalation of terrorist operations in West Africa include the rivalry among the terror groups, which seem to see that part of the African continent as a safe haven to peddle their influence, especially with the heat currently on them in the Middle East and other parts of the world. The SITE Intelligence Group, which tracks activities of jihadist organisations, says, “AQIM is competing with ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) for reassertion and dominance in West Africa.”
There cannot be a better assessment. With Boko Haram, which forged an alliance with ISIS in February last year, leading to its being renamed Islamic State’s West African Province, asserting its influence in a number of states, it appears the race for the soul of the region is already on. A combined team from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger has been fighting a bitter war to oust Boko Haram from their territories, which has claimed estimated 20,000 lives, a figure many regard as conservative.
The latest strike brings to seven, the number of countries that have tasted the evil fruits of terrorism in West Africa. “We never thought it could happen here under these circumstances,” cried out Yapi Marie Claire, who witnessed the Grand-Bassam attack. But in a region already reeling from terrorism violence, not only should more be expected, but it should also stir the various West African states into action against an issue that poses a collective threat. Countries at this stage do not have to be a sitting target to be picked off by a band of mindless killers. Those so far spared – Ghana, Togo, Benin, Guinea, Liberia, among others – should know by now that nowhere is safe.
Tackling terrorism is not just about arming the soldiers and sending them to the war front; it has to take a multi-dimensional approach. Besides engaging the combatants on the field, a lot has to be done to de-radicalise those prone to extremism. A similar approach adopted in Britain and Wales goes by the name of Channel. At a point last year, aBritish Broadcasting Corporation report said about 10 people were daily being referred to places of de-radicalisation, evidence of the growing prevalence of extremism. West African countries should invest more in modern surveillance gadgets and equipment.
Besides, it has become imperative for the international community to show more interest in what is happening in West Africa. Fighting terrorism is now a global concern, not a burden to be borne alone by the immediate victims. The same commitment that the Western powers have shown in the war in the Middle East should also be directed at West Africa. It is a matter of enlightened self-interest, as terrorism anywhere remains a threat to the rest of the world. This is exactly what President Muhammadu Buhari meant when he said, “Terrorism has no frontiers and they (terrorists) must, because of the great implication for regional and global peace and security, be defeated.”
