Amid rising insecurity and extremist threats, ECOWAS has called for the transformation of traditional Islamic schools to prevent the radicalization of vulnerable children and strengthen community resilience against terrorism.
The call was made by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray, during the West African Islamic Conference on Security and Governance held in Abuja. The event, themed “The Role of Islamic Organisations in Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in West Africa and the Sahel,” brought together religious leaders, policymakers, and security experts from across the region.
The event, jointly organised by ECOWAS and the Jam’iyyatu Ansariddeen Attijjaniyya, featured representatives from the African Union, United Nations agencies such as UNICEF and UNESCO, and Interpol, among others.
In his remarks, Touray said modernizing and integrating traditional Qur’anic schools into formal education systems would help curb street begging, child abuse, and recruitment of children by extremist groups. He stressed that these schools, which host millions of children across West Africa, remain largely neglected and vulnerable.
He noted that terrorism and violent extremism have taken a devastating toll on the subregion, urging greater investment in youth education and economic empowerment. “Africa has become the new hub of global terrorism,” he said, citing the 2025 Global Terrorism Index report.
Touray explained that the initiative aligns with ECOWAS’ Action Plan Against Terrorism, which combines both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches to tackle insecurity. He said ECOWAS would continue to support religious organisations taking the lead in reforming Qur’anic schools and promoting peace education.
Also speaking, Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, described the conference as the beginning of a new era of collaboration among Islamic scholars and regional institutions to advance peace and security.
“We must create a region where every child can learn and grow in peace, security, and dignity,” he said.
On his part, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the African Union’s High Representative for Silencing the Guns, revealed that more than 40 million children in West and Central Africa are out of school, making them susceptible to extremist recruitment.
He said the conference was aimed at developing an action plan that empowers Islamic organisations to promote peace, tolerance, and coexistence through non-violent means.
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