… as Lanlong advocates for LG autonomy, constitutional role for traditional rulers
Worried by the spate of killings in the North-Central part of Nigeria, stakeholders in the geopolitical zone converged in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday, to deliberate on the development, which has continued to claim lives.
The Benue and Plateau states axis of the geopolitical zone has recently turned into a killing field by the menace of armed herdsmen, coupled with other notorious activities like kidnapping and destruction of farmlands.
Speaking at the official launch of the Presidential Community Engagement Peace Initiative and North Central Peace Summit in Jos, organised by the office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), the former Governor of Plateau State, Senator Simon Lalong said all security challenges are local and must be nipped in the bud before they get out of hand.
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The senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District, Senator Lalong, averred that unless the local government system is supported to operate under the autonomy enshrined in the constitution, its capacity to serve as first responder to insecurity will remain a mirage.
He said the Supreme Court judgment on local government autonomy is one of the ways that the APC administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu wants to address insecurity because the people at the grassroots will have the capacity to deal with security matters with dispatch.
Lalong also submitted that when both kinetic and non-kinetic approaches are adopted at the grassroots, criminality will not grow and become a threat to the nation.
He explained that the traditional rulers must also be given a constitutional role to contribute to addressing insecurity, which is why he sponsored the National Council for Traditional Rulers Bill that has passed second reading and is awaiting public hearing at the Senate.
Lalong also advised the government to sustain the systems that have been put in place to foster dialogue and reconciliation while also strengthening the capacity of the security agencies to work in harmony and collaboration.
Chief of Defence Staff, Lt. Gen. Christopher Musa said the challenge of insecurity in Nigeria cannot be resolved by kinetic efforts alone but needs various approaches.
He advocated stronger border control, including the fencing of Nigeria’s border to curb illegal entry and cross-border crime.
Gen. Musa also advised the political class to take the right decisions and give the proper direction, which the armed forces are ready to carry out.
Dr. Mrs. Abiodun Essiet, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement (North Central), said the event was organised as part of tackling insecurity in North-Central, which has bedeviled the region, adding that the initiative was aimed at promoting peace and security in states within the region.
“This initiative is an innovative peace network aimed at driving the peace agenda and promoting social cohesion across the region. In recent times, these have witnessed troubling violence such as banditry, farmer-herder clashes, insurgency, kidnapping, and others.
She stated that the challenges before the region are more serious and far-reaching; the security situation has led to the tragic loss of lives and property, adding that the incident demands a proactive and intriguing response, one that places communities at the corner of peace.
In his remark, the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Gyang Buba, called on Nigerians to pass down historical antecedents to the upcoming generation, adding that such a move would give a better perspective towards addressing the lingering conflicts in the region.
Inaugurating the initiative, Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State said that the initiative would go a long way to promote peaceful coexistence in the region.
Mutfwang added that the initiative would also empower communities to take the lead in the peace-building process of the Tinubu-led administration.
“This initiative is driven by the belief that peace is not only a goal but a shared responsibility. We gather here at a critical moment in our national journey across our communities. This initiative aims to empower communities to take the lead in conflict resolution and peace building, recognizing that sustainable peace must be local.
“It will also build bridges of trust between citizens through shared commitment and dialogue,” he said.
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