Nigeria, June 23 -- President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged West African leaders to expedite the activation of the ECOWAS Standby Force, warning that delays are hampering the region's fight against terrorism and cross-border crime.

Speaking at the 67th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Abuja-his final outing as chair Tinubu stressed the need for urgent collective action.

"The Standby Force must transition from concept to reality," he said. "I'm concerned about the slow pace of its activation. Our threats are transnational and require coordinated responses."

Tinubu highlighted key achievements during his tenure, including the completion of the ECOWAS Military Logistics Depot in Sierra Leone and N...