The Foundation for Peace Professionals, also known as PeacePro, has warned that more than 80 per cent of global operations linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria are now concentrated in West Africa and the Sahel region, describing the area as the new epicentre of global terrorism.
In a statement issued by its Executive Director, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, the organisation said its findings were based on a comparative analysis of global incident data sourced from open-source intelligence, regional security reports, and trend assessments of ISIS-linked activities across several regions, including the Middle East, Central Africa, and the Sahel.
PeacePro explained that the 80 per cent estimate was derived from tracking the frequency, scale, and attribution of attacks linked to ISIS and its affiliates in recent months. According to the organisation, the methodology involved aggregating reported incidents, comparing regional distributions, and evaluating operational intensity, including underreported cases.
The organisation noted a sharp decline in extremist activities in traditional ISIS strongholds such as Iraq and Syria, contrasted with a sustained increase in attacks across West Africa, particularly within the Lake Chad Basin and the wider Sahel corridor.
According to Hamzat, ISIS-affiliated groups operating under regional franchises in West Africa now account for the majority of recorded attacks, fatalities, territorial incursions, and coordinated operations associated with the global extremist network.
He added that the trend also explains the growing emergence of some Nigerian fighters within ISIS-linked command structures.
PeacePro warned that the scale, coordination, and persistence of attacks across Nigeria and neighbouring countries indicate a dangerous expansion of extremist networks, driven by adaptive strategies, local recruitment, and possible external support systems.
The organisation further stated that the concentration of such a significant share of ISIS-linked operations in West Africa reflects a major shift in global terrorism dynamics, requiring an urgent recalibration of international counter-terrorism priorities.
PeacePro therefore called on the Federal Government to take the lead in mobilising a coordinated global response by rallying international partners, strengthening intelligence-sharing frameworks, and driving a unified offensive against ISIS-affiliated groups operating in the region.
The group stressed that Nigeria, as a frontline state, is strategically positioned to galvanise regional and international action through enhanced multilateral security cooperation, deployment of advanced counter-terrorism technologies, and disruption of transnational financing and logistics networks supporting extremist groups.
PeacePro warned that failure to act decisively could allow terrorist groups to deepen their presence, expand territorial control, and spread instability beyond West Africa, with far-reaching implications for global security.
While advocating a robust response, the organisation emphasised that all counter-terrorism measures must remain intelligence-driven, evidence-based, and consistent with international law and human rights standards.
