By our reporter 2-6-2025
The main aim of extremist groups and terrorists is to conquer the coastal region of Nigeria and other West African States, the United States Africa Command, base commander General Michael Langley, has warned.
General Langley said the recent resurgent attacks in Borno and Lake Chad Basin were an escalation of the crisis and it’s long-term goal is to have access to the coastal regions to boost their capacity for smuggling and arms trafficking.
“Attacks are resurging in the Lake Chad region as well, and extremist groups are growing more aggressive. The recent attacks in Nigeria and across the Sahel are deeply concerning.
“The scale and brutality of some of these incidents are troubling. So, we’re monitoring this closely.
“One of the terrorists’ new objectives is gaining access to West African coasts. If they secure access to the coastline, they can finance their operations through smuggling, human trafficking, and arms trading.
“This puts not just African nations at risk but also increases the chance of threats reaching the US shores,” Langley stated at the weekend while addressing journalists at the African Chiefs of Defence Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 28 to 29, 2025.
He added that he has discussed the issue with the Nigeria military command.
“During my visit, I sat with Nigerian defence leaders to understand how we can help. The US acts with its partners—and in Nigeria’s case, we work together to combat Boko Haram and ISIS West Africa in pursuit of regional security,” he said.
“We are committed to supporting one of the most capable militaries in the region—Nigeria’s. Although our withdrawal has reduced our ability to monitor some developments directly, we maintain strong liaison and provide support where possible.”
The event brought together senior military leaders from 37 African nations alongside US defence officials.
According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the Sahel accounted for 19 per cent of all terrorist attacks worldwide and 51 per cent of global terrorism-related deaths in 2024, up from 48 per cent in 2023.