Fending off global terror influx in Africa The Punch Published 11 July 2021 THE global terrorist influx into Africa with Nigeria as one of its epicentres is gathering renewed international attention. Expert assessment of recent jihadist expansion in sub-Saharan Africa coincided with a summit of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS held in Rome, Italy, where a new continental task force was proposed among other measures to combat the growing threat. Nigeria and other countries should deploy vigorous proactive strategies in coordination with international partners to crush the home-grown groups and deny jihadism its desired continental operational base. Recently, The Guardian (London) reported that following recent gains in Nigeria, the Sahel, in Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, ISIS propaganda published by the group’s leadership in its heartland in the Middle East is increasingly stressing sub-Saharan Africa as a new front which, may compensate the group for significant setbacks elsewhere. A French expert on jihad, Olivier Guitta of GlobalStrat Risk Consultancy has also predicted: “Africa is going to be the battleground of jihad for the next 20 years and it’s going to replace the Middle East.” But some African leaders still appear ignorant of the existential danger posed by global Islamic terrorism. The West and Middle East countries that have borne its brunt harbour no such illusions about the menace to the world of jihadists seeking safe harbour in weak states.