Western Interventions and the Rise of Militancy in West Africa
Before you scroll past, consider: the recent reports of jihadist expansion into the Nigeria, Benin, and Niger tri-border region rarely connect these developments to a broader historical context. The framing routinely ignores how decades of Western military and economic policies have inadvertently, or perhaps intentionally, fostered the very conditions for instability that now afflict the Sahel and
its coastal neighbors. A critical point often overlooked is the lingering impact of colonial-era border delineations and post-independence interventions. For instance, France’s Operation Barracudas in 1979, which overthrew Emperor Jean-Bédel Bokassa in the Central African Republic, exemplified a long history of extra-territorial military deployments that routinely undermined nascent African
states. This pattern of external interference continued and amplified, particularly in the post-9/11 era, through programs like the Trans-Saharan Counterterrorism Partnership (TSCTP), initiated by the United States in 2005. While ostensibly aimed at combating terrorism, these initiatives often provided military aid and training that, at times, exacerbated existing ethnic and political grievances,
funneling resources into security forces that lacked comprehensive civic oversight. The current situation in the tri-border area, where militant groups reportedly exploit pastoral networks and ungoverned spaces, mirrors a common pattern observed in regions subjected to sustained external security interventions. For example, a 2018 study by the African Center for Strategic Studies indicated that