The Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) is now confronted with a new security threat which is

Step 1: Analyze the question The question asks about the new security threat facing ECOWAS. The key word is "new", so we need a threat that has emerged recently, not a long-standing problem.

Step 2: Explain the concept ECOWAS was founded in 1975 mainly for economic integration. Over time, it has had to deal with security issues too, such as:

• Civil wars (Liberia, Sierra Leone) in the 1990s
• Coups and political instability
• Cross-border crime and smuggling (a long-standing problem)
• Violent extremism and terrorism, which has grown sharply in the last decade

Today, the most pressing and new threat is violent extremism and terrorism. Boko Haram and ISWAP operate in Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, and jihadist groups are active across the Sahel (Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger). This is why ECOWAS has discussed a standby force for counter-terrorism.

Step 3: Evaluate the options

• A. Extremism: Correct. It is a modern and growing regional threat.
• B. Smuggling of illegal goods across states: This is an old problem, not a new one. It is also more of an economic or customs issue.
• C. Weak national armies: This is a weakness in member states, not a security threat in itself.
• D. Proportional representation: This is an electoral system, not a security threat at all.

Step 4: Answer The correct option is A. extremism.

Step 5: Exam tip When a question says "new" or "emerging" security threat in West Africa, think terrorism and extremism. Also, always check whether an option is a threat (like extremism) or a weakness or system (like weak armies or proportional representation). That helps you eliminate wrong choices quickly.