Security Analyst Asib Saani has advised members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to work together to combat jihadist attacks and other forms of terrorism in the sub-region.

According to him, the leaders of African countries are divided, preventing effective cooperation against external aggression.

This division, he said, has contributed to the rising cases of terrorist attacks within the sub-region.

Speaking on Joy News 'The Pulse' with Elton John Brobbey, he said “I am particularly concerned about how disunited ECOWAS is even with initiatives such as the Accra initiative and the formation of the Sahel Allegiance between Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. It has disjointed our efforts towards curbing the spate of Jihadist attacks within the sub-region.

“And I have always indicated that the more disunited we are the more strengthened these terrorists become.”

His comments follows the latest Jihardist attack in Togo which resulted in the death of six soldiers.

This occurrence, Mr Saani said could have been avoided if all parties of the ECOWAS was united.

• Read also: Terror attacks increase in Togo as Sahel extremists encroach

Violent extremist organisations from northern Benin and Burkina Faso are increasingly targeting northern Togo as conflicts from the Sahel spill into coastal countries.

Four people on a tricycle in the north-central town of Bonzougou were killed on June 18 after riding over an improvised explosive device (IED). Several terror groups operate in the Savannah region, although none claimed responsibility for the attack, Togo’s L’Alternative newspaper reported.