Daily Trust Editorial, Friday May 8, 2026
Terrorist and separatist groups on Saturday April 25, 2026 launched one of the most coordinated violent regime change operation against Mali’s military government led by General Assimi Goïta, the largest assault in the country in years. The terrorists, alongside Tuareg separatists from the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA), struck multiple locations simultaneously, targeting military barracks and installations in/near the capital Bamako and other cities such as Kidal, Gao, Sevare and Mopti.
Deploying gunfire, explosions, and targeting high-profile sites including the residence of the defence minister Gen Sadio Camara (killed along with wife and two grandchildren). This was a significant escalation and major blow to government as the terrorists and rebels made territorial gains, especially large portions in northern and central areas they have controlled or contested for over a decade, since the 2012 crisis. They already instituted shadow governance in those areas as they pursue further fragmentation in pursuit of another internal coup or a de facto terrorist’s safe haven.
The Malian military and the Russia-backed Africa Corps later launched counterattacks and succeeded in repelling them, inflicting heavy losses. Over 70 soldiers were killed while the Malian military killed over 200 terrorists.
The unprecedented attempt was a rude shock as the ruling junta came to power after 2020–2021 coups promising to restore security especially after they kicked out the United Nations (UN) peacekeepers and French forces, pledging to take its destiny in their own hands.
For now, the Malian government remains in power in Bamako though it controls limited territory effectively. This highly precarious, fluid and dangerous situation exposes government’s vulnerabilities and the limitations of leaning on mercenaries for security, making it imperative for all African nations to focus on improved governance that addresses the root causes of poverty, corruption, ethnic marginalization, weak institutions, which forms terror recruiting base.
We at Daily Trust warn that a terrorists’ victory in Mali would have catastrophic effects for Nigeria and the sub-region. A weakened Mali would automatically trigger further instability in the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) of Burkina Faso and Niger, while opening terrorists’ operational expansion southward into border areas of Benin, Togo and Nigeria’s northern borders, a direct threat to democracies in the Gulf of Guinea.
We call on Nigeria and all countries, that sit directly south of the volatile Sahel belt, to take all precautionary measures. Already, the Sahel region has become the global epicentre of terrorism, accounting for over 50 per cent of Global Terrorism Index’s latest terrorism-related deaths with Burkina Faso, Niger, Mali, and Nigeria ranking among the hardest-hit countries. This makes it imperative for concerted efforts to stop the continuing violence in the Sahel inevitable as any destabilization in Mali would free up troops and weapons that could be redirected southward.
Daily Trust believes that the first step to take is to strengthen the weak regional cooperation in military and border control cooperation exacerbated by the bickering between Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and ECOWAS. It is clear that the breakup between them has narrowed member-nations diplomatic and military cooperation. Meanwhile, they share the same old security threats and interdependence necessitated by geographical locations.
Secondly, we call on ECOWAS to show more relevance now, acting as rallying point than just periodic communique-churning institution. They should, just like the terrorists threatening their nations, evolve and adapt. A reinvigorated ECOWAS should partner and lead AES to embrace, as a matter of urgency, engagement and renewed cooperation.
Most importantly, leaders of sub-regional nations should see the unfortunate events in Mali as mirrors of their vulnerabilities. They must continue the unfinished project of regional solidarity and integration. The tragedy of Mali should be an early-warning to Sahel and coastal nations on the need for them to work together towards narrowing their intelligence gaps while employing hands-on approach mechanism. In addition, regional nations should take advantage of their on-field combat experiences and size to build a professional, well-equipped, intelligence-driven forces with high morale, accountability, and integration of local knowledge.
This is more so as events in Mali has shown that dependence or prioritising external helps belongs to the past. External support should be limited to transparent training slots and engagements, ISR and logistics supports. African nations should stop the importation of military force while paying little lip service to fixing governance issues. They must prioritise good governance and professionalism in handling security matters. The triumph of politics over governance must stop.
Above all, we call for the revival of an ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) styled regional military intervention force. Towards this, the much talked about ECOWAS Standby Force (ESF), founded in 1975 but has remained in the planning stage, should go beyond rhetoric and be prioritized and institutionalized. This is the time to have a functional and collaborative regional force that prevents, halts and defeats terror groups whose activities seems to be overwhelming individual states.
Unless this is duly implemented, the region will continue to be where foreign powers prey for the benefits of their countries, as if another phase of scramble for Africa has taken African leaders by surprise. Regional leaders must come together to salvage the new challenge of terrorism already in our doorsteps. They must wake up and take up the gauntlet as their success in Mali puts the sub-region in jeopardy.
