Migration and trafficking have been some of the main causes of insecurity in the Sahel and Sub-Saharan Africa. Places like Agadez in Niger have become major transit zones with over 300,000 people transiting through the city annually en route Europe since 2015. Apart from human trafficking which forms the bulk of the migration to Europe, trafficking in drugs, arms and money have also contributed to insecurity in the regions. Apart from trafficking, insurgent groups have taken advantage of the porous borders/ungoverned spaces across the countries in the regions to engage in activities such as rustling and cross border banditry. These issues are further compounded by the war in Libya which provides a steady source of arms to the region. This session explores the dynamics of insecurity in the regions exploring the implications not only for the regions but for the continent as a whole.
About the speaker
Dr. Olayinka Ajala holds a doctorate degree in Politics from the University of York. Prior to that, he graduated from the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex where he studied Globalisation and Development. Olayinka also holds a Bachelors degree in Agricultural Extension and Rural Sociology from Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.
In 2014, Olayinka was a visiting fellow/lecturer at the Combating Terrorism Centre, United States Military Academy, West Point. He has consulted for local and international organisations including the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), the Government of Belgium and was a lead panel analyst on ‘Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism in Africa’, a round table discussion at the John F Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University.
