Insecurity: Institute for peace, conflict resolution commences nationwide awareness campaign

Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), under the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has commenced a nationwide awareness campaign to curtail the ongoing insurgency, kidnapping, banditry, killings and destruction of properties, especially the government facilities across the country.

The Director of the Institute, Dr Bakut Tswah Bakut, disclosed this over the weekend, in Enugu, during a sensitization workshop organized by the African Heritage Institution in partnership with (IPCR), Abuja.

According to Bakut, who was represented by one of the Directors in the Institute, Mr Andy Nkeneme, noted that the awareness campaign was a demonstration of the institutional commitment to making sure that Nigerians in respective of any affiliations are protected from those that didn’t want the country’s unity and oneness.

He said the awareness campaign will cut across the six geopolitical zones.

“You will agree with me that issues and cases of conflict have been on the increase in the developing countries of the World since the mid-1950s, especially in recent times, Africa has been particularly vulnerable to incessant conflicts which, in the past decades, have resulted in unimaginable casualties and human misery, and contributed vastly to the spread of poverty, disease, malnutrition, starvation, Social-economic decline and moral deterioration.

Armed banditry in the scope and manner of its current operation has become one of the biggest threats to safety and security in Nigeria especially in the North-East and North-West part of the country.

To my fears, no media reportage in all the national dailies is complete in a day without killings, kidnappings and invasions of people’s homes and villages by armed bandits, a situation, he described as fearful and worrisome.

So, these are the reasons why IPCR under my leadership, is embarking on a nationwide campaign against the scourge.

“Our major audience are Traditional rulers, clergies, youth leaders, market leaders, motor parks, Churches, Mosque and town hall meetings.

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Dr Bakut, while commending security agencies for their steadfastness despite the confrontation, urged Nigerians to always provide useful information to the security authorities in their domain for prompt action.

In their separate remarks, the Executive Director of African Heritage Institution Enugu, Professor Ufo Okeke-Uzodike and the Head of South-East Zonal Peace-building Office, IPCR, Princess Amaka Uzodinma, noted that the one-day sensitization workshop was organised to brainstorm and update Nigerians on the trending security situation and to map out ways to end the scourge in the country.

Those who participated both in practical and visual in the enlightenment programme, including, Dr Kingsley Udeh, Special Adviser to Enugu state governor, Ifeanyi Ogwuanyi, on Education, Dr Chukwuemeka B. Eze, Executive Director, African Network for Peace Building Accra, Ghana, Dr Anthony Odo Agbor of the Federal University Wukari, Taraba State and Engr. Umar Ibrahim, Kano Electricity Distribution Company, who spoke via visual, urged President Mohammadu Bihari and the APC-led federal government to urgently address the problem of unemployment, unequal political appointment across the six geopolitical zones, regular Town Hall meetings with Traditional rulers, disunity among political leaders, the inclusion of more youths in National discuss, constant and peaceful dialogue with aggrieved groups if the country must be in peace.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE