The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission on Wednesday disclosed that no fewer than 14,500 people have been killed by terrorists in the West African region in less than five years.

Outgoing President of the Commission, Jean-Claude Kassi Brou, also said the insecurity in the region has also displaced 5.5 million people. 

Brou, who will assume the position of the Governor of the West African Bank, spoke in Abuja, on Wednesday, during the handover of power to the new management of the Commission led by President Omar Touray.

Brou noted that the deterioration of the security situation has caused havoc not only in the Sahel area, affecting Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger and the North- East of Nigeria, but it soon expanded to the coastal zone, hitting Côte d’Ivoire, Benin and Togo.

Brou further stated that the commission has reached out to assist refugees, who need humanitarian assistance as well as victims of natural disasters. He noted that a regional action plan to combat terrorism in West Africa has been elaborated and implemented.