Organized crime
Worldwide, the existence of organized crime is becoming a major human security threat. Some forms of organized crime impede economic, political, social, cultural and democratic development globally, especially on developing and fragile states in Africa. However, the threats and challenges of organized criminal groups in Africa are coordinated in West Africa. The region is considered as an enormous breeding ground for organized transnational activities. Organized criminal organizations take part in different forms of drug trafficking, internet fraud, human trafficking, forgery, illegal firearm and oil smuggling. The trends are considered to affect the democratic development of the states in leadership and governance systems.
Thus, despite the availability of vast natural resource and democratic governing structure, West African occupies bottom rank in the United Nations (UN) development index. Similarly, West African countries performance is poor, according to the World Bank and Transparency International indexes responsible for measuring leadership and governance systems. Recent reports have indicated the roles and operation of the countries in West Africa in promoting transatlantic trade. However, the region is considered to take part in illegal migrant and illicit drug trafficking to European countries and immediate markets. These are attributed to the desire of making quick and easy money eroding balanced socio-economic development.