ABUJA (IPCR Report) – The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) is working towards addressing the issue of incessant violent attacks on communities and public places.
The Director General of the Institute, Dr. Bakut T. Bakut made this known while speaking at the ‘National Expert Policy Dialogue on Nigeria Safe Community Initiative’ organized by the Institute in Abuja recently.
Experts from different Security and Defense Agencies and other critical stakeholders gathered to brainstorm and come up with policy framework that would help in reducing the attacks in public places and communities.
Dr. Bakut said that Nigeria’s Safe Initiative is a flagship project of the Institute towards finding a durable solution to the incessant violent attacks on communities in Nigeria.
He said, “This has become critical in the face of rising violent attacks on communities as a result of the intractable incidence of violent conflict as occasioned by the Boko Haram insurgency, Farmers-Herders violence, banditry, citizenship contestation, land resources crisis among others.”
While speaking on how far the Institute has gone in terms of addressing conflicts in the country, he said the Institute conducted the Strategic Conflict Assessment (SCA) which led to the design of the First National Action Plan (NAP) that resulted in the establishment of the Presidential Implementation Committee (PIC).
He said, “The SCA also provided the basis and template for the implementation of other strategic peace building programmes such as the study on citizenship and dialogue on citizenship, the Conflict Early Warning and Early Response System (CEWERs), National Peace Policy (NPP), Peace Education, Mainstreaming Peace Building in Development Programming and Conflict Sensitive Approach.”
Bakut explained that the engagements have indeed revolutionised peace building schema in Nigeria and as a critical step towards agenda setting for other governmental and nongovernmental stakeholders in the domain of peace, security and development.
Also speaking at the occasion, former Army spokesman, Brig-General Sani Usman (rtd), recommended for a joint venture with the communities where the schools are located with security agencies including vigilante group.
He pointed out that the use of technology was very important, adding that there should be synergy between federal and state governments on how to protect public places especially schools.
Musa Mato
Head of Media
