Dr Mohamed IBN Chambas, the African Union Chief Mediator on Sudan, has enumerated factors fueling insecurity in the Sahel region, including weak governance and corruption.
Chambas, a guest lecturer at the Newsmen Inaugural Annual International Lecture in Abuja, said military solution alone would not address the problem.
According to him, weak governance and corruption has helped in creating a conducive environment for insecurity.
He said the Sahel region is so vast that there are lots of ungoverned spaces in the zone, causing the increase in the insecurity rate.
The AU chief also listed crisis in Libya, Sudan, Mali, among other factors that could be attributed to the challenge .
Besides, he said foreign interference and external forces had equally explored this for their own interest.
Chambas, who said the shrinking of Lake Chad Basin, particularly the Lake Chad, had caused more harm than good in the Sahel region, said focus should also be given to financing and supply network of the terror groups.
“This should be effectively cut off or addressed,” he said.
The Lecture with theme, ““Insecurity in the Sahel (2008-2024): Dissecting Nigeria’s Challenges – Genesis, Impacts and Options” was conceived by the management of Newsmen as part of efforts to tackle the menace of insecurity in the Sahel and Nigeria.
Chambas also said that Nigeria’s efforts to address farmers/herders crisis, especially the creation of livestock ministry, is commendable.
ECOWAS, he added, should resist the restriction of movement of people from the three member states that pulled out of the regional body, says Ibn Chambas at Newsmen inaugural lecture.