Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
Leonardo Santos Simão, head of the UN Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), told the Security Council that threats from terrorist and armed groups remain acute, especially in the central Sahel and northern Nigeria, and are rapidly extending to coastal Gulf of Guinea states. These groups are modernizing quickly, using drones, advanced communication tools, and cryptocurrencies. Their attacks are coordinated across countries and increasingly linked with transnational criminal networks. Their objectives now include consolidating territorial and economic control and undermining trust in governments.
Recently, a coalition of the Group for the Support of Islam and Muslims (JNIM) and the Azawad Liberation Front launched simultaneous attacks on several Malian cities in April, causing civilian and military casualties, including the Malian Minister of Defence. In Niger, attacks targeted Niamey airport and a military base in Tahoua. Burkina Faso's northern and eastern regions continue to face attacks, sometimes involving drones. Northern Nigeria and the central "Middle Belt" region experience kidnappings and repeated assaults, significantly impacting civilians.
The violence has led to mass displacement: as of late February, nearly 6.8 million people were internally displaced in West Africa and the Sahel, alongside 1.3 million refugees and asylum seekers. Gulf of Guinea states now host about 220,000 refugees. Liberia has seen arrivals of Burkinabe nationals rise from 40,000 to 140,000 since 2025, increasing pressure on land, services, and host communities.
Humanitarian access is worsening due to insecurity and funding shortages, limiting efforts to provide aid in the affected areas.