The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has urged the United Nations and international partners to bolster support for member states battling escalating terrorist violence across the region, including Nigeria.

In a communique, ECOWAS highlighted attacks by armed groups that indiscriminately target civilian regardless of religion, gender, ethnicity, or age.

It said that terrorist-related violence does not discriminate citing years of independent reports.

The regional body explicitly rejected what It called “false and dangerous claims suggesting that terrorist groups target specific religious communities or that a genocide is underway against any single faith group.

Such narratives, ECOWAS warned, risks inflaming tensions and undermining social cohesion.

“ECOWAS called on the whole world to stand by countries in the region on their fight against terrorism that targets communities”, the statement concluded.