US warns that Islamist terrorists are seeking access to West Africa's coast to facilitate arms smuggling

ISLAMIST terrorists are increasingly targeting Nigeria as potential base to capture because they want access to her coastline to facilitate the easy shipment of weapons into West Africa according to the United States Africa Command.

Over recent years, the West African sub-region has been a magnet for extreme Islamist groups, with the Sahel     in particular being targeted. General, Michael Langley, the commander of the United States Africa Command, has warned that terrorist access to the coast would significantly boost their capacity for smuggling and arms trafficking.

Raising the alarm over growing efforts by extremist groups and terrorists in the Sahel to gain access to West Africa’s coastline, he described the recent attacks in Nigeria, the wider Sahel, and the Lake Chad Basin as deeply troubling. The Sahel countries of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger Republic widely regarded as the epicentre of terrorist activity, with insurgent networks linked to Isis and Al-Qaeda.

According to the 2025 Global Terrorism Index, published by the Institute for Economics and Peace, the Sahel accounted for 19% of all terrorist attacks worldwide and 51% of global terrorism-related deaths in 2024, up from 48%  in 2023. Five of the 10 countries most affected by terrorism worldwide are in the Sahel.

General Langley said: “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."

Speaking at the African Chiefs of Defence Conference held in Nairobi, Kenya, from May 28 to 29, General Langley urged frontline coastal states such as Ghana, Ivory Coast and Benin Republic to hold firm along their northern borders to prevent terrorist infiltration. This event brought together senior military leaders from 37 African nations alongside US defence officials.

General Langley acknowledged that the partial withdrawal of US forces from parts of Africa had constrained America’s ability to monitor and respond to terrorist activity as closely as before. He, however, emphasised US’ continued commitment to counterterrorism partnerships, while respecting national sovereignty.