The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lt. Gen. William Agyapong, has warned that violent extremist groups operating in the Sahel have expanded their influence into northern parts of West Africa and are increasingly probing southward towards Ghana, heightening security concerns along the country’s northern frontier.
Speaking on behalf of the Deputy Minister for Defence, Ernest Brogya Gyenfi, at the 50th Anniversary Republic Day Public Lecture held at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College in Teshie, Lt. Gen. Agyapong said the regional security landscape has changed dramatically and now requires urgent, coordinated action by Ghana and its international partners.
He noted that extremist organisations in the Sahel have become increasingly adaptive, well-resourced and patient in pursuing their expansion, with their activities already affecting several neighbouring countries.
“They have already penetrated the northern belt of our neighbours to the north and are probing further south. Indeed, some of our compatriots have fallen victim,” he said, referring to recent attacks in the sub-region, including the killing of Ghanaian traders in Titao.
The Chief of Defence Staff also expressed concern over growing maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, warning that criminal networks operating at sea are increasingly linked to wider transnational organised crime syndicates involved in extremist financing and logistics.
He said Ghana has recorded several incidents of armed robbery at sea, including attacks on fishermen whose outboard motors were stolen, leaving them stranded and threatening both coastal livelihoods and the country’s blue economy.
According to Lt. Gen. Agyapong, Ghana is strategically positioned between two evolving security threats—violent extremism advancing from the Sahel in the north and maritime crime in the Gulf of Guinea to the south.
“This is not an alarmist observation. It is a planning reality that requires our full attention,” he cautioned.
The CDS disclosed that the government is undertaking a major retooling of the Ghana Armed Forces to strengthen border security, enhance maritime surveillance and improve overall operational readiness.
He further urged policymakers, security experts and academia to deepen collaboration, stressing that Ghana’s ability to respond effectively to emerging threats will depend on sound strategic thinking and informed policy development.
Addressing military officers undergoing training, Lt. Gen. Agyapong encouraged them to cultivate not only tactical competence but also strategic vision and ethical leadership, noting that contemporary security threats often exploit governance weaknesses, community grievances and ungoverned spaces rather than conventional battlefields.
He also praised the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College for its 50-year contribution to developing senior military leaders across Africa, while urging the institution to continue evolving to anticipate emerging threats rather than merely reacting to them.
Describing the Sahel as “a warning” and the Gulf of Guinea as “riding the storm,” Lt. Gen. Agyapong underscored the need for stronger regional cooperation to address West Africa’s increasingly complex security challenges.
