Why insecurity festers ― Gen Agwai

Former Chief of Defense Staff, retired General Martin Luther Agwai on Monday, gave reasons why the lingering insecurity in the country will continue.

Speaking at the opening of a 2-day capacity building for traditional rulers on community grievance management organised by the Middle Belt Brain Trust (MBBT) in collaboration with the Institute for Integrated Transition (IFIT), on Monday in Lafia, General Agwai noted that the factors fueling insecurity in the country are more complex than currently being portrayed.

Agwai served as Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff from 1 June 2006 to 25 May 2007.

He was also the country’s Chief of Army Staff between June 2003 to May 2006.

He said from the organisation’s field engagement in Nasarawa State, the challenges that triggered insecurity in the Middle Belt and Nigeria at large are enormous and complex.

He said the body had held various engagements sessions, outreaches and dialogues with key stakeholders which culminated in the convening of the first Nasarawa Stakeholders Forum sometimes back.

“The challenges we have observed are enormous but we believe that with sustained determination and hard work, the goals of lasting peace and security can be achieved,” he averred.

He noted that the failure of existing institutions to manage grievances has itself become a major conflict driver, as most community-level conflicts that start out as civil disputes, escalated to violence and identity conflicts.

“This is mainly due to the fact that the justice system is overstretched and perceived bias on both the law-making and law-enforcement bodies.

“Furthermore, the low compliance rates of court judgments and the high cost of enforcement actions underscore the need for systems that maximize the likelihood of voluntary compliance and the importance of supportive cultural norms that emphasize conciliatory dispute resolution techniques,” he explained.

He, however, said improving grievance management capacities at the community level would translate into the timely resolution of disputes and prevent them from becoming identity conflicts.

“The effort would strengthen informally existing systems as well as prepare community leaders, increase civic engagement, and help to create public processes to facilitate broader social and structural change,” he noted.

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