By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Dr. Mohammed Ibn Chambas, the United Nations (UN) Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel, has raised alarm over the growing radicalisation of youth in the region, attributing it to the absence of meaningful dialogue and interaction among communities.
According to The Nation, Chambas made these remarks during the Maiden West Africa Islamic Conference on Security and Governance in Abuja, which focused on “The Role of Islamic Organisations in Countering Terrorism and Violent Extremism in West Africa and the Sahel.”
He defined radicalisation as “the act of brainwashing someone with the view to render the person intolerant of other experiences and views,” warning that it has become a fertile ground for violent extremism.
Chambas highlighted that the world is currently grappling with unprecedented violence, ranging from interstate conflicts and civil wars to unconstitutional changes of government, interfaith tensions, ethno-tribal disputes, and acts of terrorism and banditry.
“The unwillingness to appreciate the existence of the other among communities across the world has bred gross intolerance, extremism, violent agitations, conflicts and oppression. These have been the key drivers of insecurity and lack of positive peace across the globe today,” he said.
As the African Union (AU) High Representative for “Silencing the Guns,” Chambas cited the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, revealing that the Sahel accounted for 19 percent of all terrorist attacks globally and 51 percent of terrorism-related deaths in 2024.
“Our West Africa subregion has been under fire due to lack of effective interaction and dialogue among the diverse ethnic and religious communities,” he added.
He stressed that failure to engage communities of similar ethnic or religious persuasions has fueled unnecessary tensions, sometimes escalating into violent extremism and resulting in the loss of lives and property.
“It is therefore fitting that communities and community stakeholders, such as religious leaders, traditional leaders, among others, are put at the centre of the resilience push so as to fashion out a bottom-up approach to fighting this menace,” Chambas said.
Highlighting the importance of peace education, he urged: “We therefore need deliberate, practical peace education and awareness that engenders good relationships within and without communities to lay the foundation for sustainable development.”
Chambas emphasised that religious leaders, imams, scholars, and traditional authorities hold a unique position to provide moral guidance, steer communities towards peace, and counter extremist ideologies.
“Good communal practices and sharing of experiences in the management of territories and vulnerabilities of communities among and within the communities is a crucial tool to becoming resilient against these incessant attacks,” he said.
“Through the Silencing the Guns Initiative, the African Union underscores that peace cannot be achieved by force, but by peaceful means. It requires moral authority, spiritual guidance, and inclusive engagement,” he added.
Supporting this call, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, Dr. Abdel-Fatau Musah, urged Islamic organisations and leaders to educate youths against extremism.
“We must inculcate the culture of peace through schools and learning institutions across the region, to imbue in them the love for each other, for their neighbour, through peace education, and to make sure that we keep enhancing social cohesion across our region,” he said.