Metro
IPCR DG, Ochogwu Identifies late response to early warning as reason for recurring Violent Conflict
The Director General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu has identified late response to early warning as the major factor responsible recurring violent conflict in the country.
Speaking at the national strategic stakeholders engagement workshop for effective conflict, early warning and early response system in Nigeria held in Abuja at the Institute, Dr. Ochogwu noted that the special gathering of stakeholders holds the promise for a better conflict prevention strategy and a peaceful nation.
He said: “Early responses to these signals often come too little, too late. This may be one of the reasons why Nigeria is bedeviled with recurring violent conflicts. Early Warning Early Response (EWER) has been a veritable tool for conflict management which the IPCR in collaboration with all of you present at this gathering seeks to build, to ensure an effective EWER system that will become the hallmark of conflict prevention in Nigeria.”
The DG said that IPCR is in the process of building a robust Conflict Early Warning Early Response (CEWER) system for Nigeria in collaboration with a consortium of government and non-governmental organizations under a project called ‘Peace Action for Rapid Transformative Nigerian Early Response’(PARTNER).
“The PARTNER project is a collaborative effort sponsored by the USAID to promote early warning and early response, peace-building, and social cohesion in Nigeria. As far as we know, Nigeria is faced with numerous security challenges that are thwarting the desired unity and cohesion, stability, peaceful coexistence, and inclusive development necessary for the pursuit of happiness of every citizen.
“Violent conflict is threatening the fabric of our existence and challenging our humanity in so many ways. It has become imperative to invoke every patriotic attempt to insist on conflict prevention and a non-violent approach to conflicts.
“Conflict prevention is a service that a single agency may not be able to achieve on its own. It will take a whole of society and whole of government approach to prevent violent conflict in a sustainable way.
“The collaboration between IPCR and PARTNER intends to deliver an effective conflict EWER system that will accommodate a robust partnership across the security and non-security stakeholders towards a comprehensive outcome,” he said.
The DG said that the establishment of the national Early Warning Response Group (EWRG), will open a new vista in conflict prevention and mitigation through early response, adding that the establishment will be replicated in sub national locations across the country.
“The objective of IPCR today is to ensure that we close the gap between early warning and early response. The prevalence and reality of violent conflict in Nigeria and Africa is evident in part because there is inadequate communication and disconnection between members of the community and security agencies meant to respond to early warnings. It is apparent that there is the need to find an effective way of communicating early warning to attract the fastest response in order to prevent conflict from escalating into violence,” he said.
Explaining what IPCR stands for, the Director General of the Institute, Dr. Ochogwu said, “The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) Abuja is a federal government agency saddled with the mandate of conflict prevention, mitigation, resolution and management. It is an agency established to promote non-violent interactions among communities, people, and territories in Nigeria and Africa to engender conflict resilience and sustainable peace.”
In his opening remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Adamu Ibrahim Lamuwa expressed joy that the occasion is happening at a time the nation’s efforts towards sustainable development are persistently frustrated by violence.
“It is also a heart warming thing to be here because this event have semblance of the type of strides that agencies in the sector need to make for us to have hope for sustainable peace in the future.
I am aware that the Institute started the process of re-organizing the National Conflict Early Warning Early Response System to make it more effective since 2021, and today we are witnessing another big step being taken in that direction. From operational experience, IPCR recognized that it cannot run that project alone, hence the need to collaborate with consortium organisations including Mèrcy Corps, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding and others who have contributed immensely to make this event possible.
“The highlight of this occasion is the Establishment of a Standing National Conflict Early Warning Response Group (EWRG). This is a mile stone that has the capacity to change the entire conflict prevention and peacebuilding landscape in Nigeria.
Urging all the stakeholders to give IPCR and the PARTNER the required cooperation and support to make this project a success, the Permanent Secretary, who was represented at the occasion by the Director, National Peace Academy, Dr. Bose Awodola commended the bold step taken by the Institute and her Consortium partners towards achieving sustainable peace in the country through the implementation of early warning, social cohesion, and peacebuilding.
The occasion was organised by IPCR in conjunction with Mercy Corps Nigeria and West African Network for Peace-building (WANEP).
The objective of the workshop is to sensitise the echelon of security agencies and to enhance the capacity of the personnel and other critical agents for effective and seamless responses to early warning signals of conflict.
Participants in the workshop include top echelon of security agencies and nominated personnel who will form a Proposed National Conflict Early Warning Response Group (EWRG).
The PARTNER consortium members, other than the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Mercy Corps Nigeria and West African Network for Peacebuilding, includes the Plateau Peacebuilding Agency, Kaduna State Peace Commission, Kukah Centre, Katsina State Peace Committee, Kano State Peace Committee and Mambayya House. It is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development, USAID.
**As thugs loyal to Abure unleash mayhem on LP protesters from Edo
There seem to be no end in sight for the crises in the Labour Party as the Edo State chapter has officially ratified the suspension of the National chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
This was contained in a correspondent to the National Headquarters of the party titled: Ratification. Of the suspension from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North qEast LGA, Edo State.
The letter which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the party, Com. Ogbaloi K.S.E State Chairman and Com. Akhere Frederick respectively and was copied INEC.
The Letter reads,
“Here forwarded to you and for your notification, the ratification of the suspension of Comr Barr. Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA. Edo State.
“The State Executive Council, Labour Party, Edo State, comprising of the State Working Committee, the 18 Local Government Chairmen and the 18 Local Government Secretaries met on the 24” of May, 2024, at about 11:00pm, to consider the matters presented on the suspension of Comr. Barr. Julius Abure by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA, and the upholding of the suspension by the LGA Excos.
“After clinical analysis of the accusation, the Council found them weighty and further ratified and upheld the suspension.
Meanwhile, Thugs suspected to be loyal to the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), on Monday unleashed mayhem on Protesters believed to be LP supporters from the Edo State chapter who were at the party National secretariat to demand Abure’s ouster.
The anti- Abure protesters stormed the party headquarters in a number of vehicles holding placards and chanting solidarity songs.
No sooner than some of the protesters stepped out of one of the vehicles than the suspected thugs swooped on the vehicles with sticks and other objects forcing the drivers to zoom off.
A detachment of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) intervened when the thugs started throwing stones into the nearby Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in pursuit of reporters who were convering the fracas.
The intervention of the security officials prevented the situation from further degenerating. A police vehicle is currently stationed in between the warring factions.
By our correspondent
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kuteb world wide has accused Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ((rtd) of deliberately distorting and inventing new history of Takum Chieftaincy to benefit his tribal people (Chamba)
Chief Emmanuel Ukwen, President General Kuteb Yantso of Nigeria stated this while addressing newsmen in Jalingo on Friday.
The accusation is coming after the recent appointment of HRH Bar. Sopiya Gboshi as chief of Takum who was presented with staff of office by Gov Agbu Kefas to succeed late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim kufang ll who died 28 years ago.
The Kuteb also accused Gen. Danjuma and his associates of making plans to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the ancestral palace of Ukwe Takum which had been located behind the Mosque.
Chief Ukwen recalled the recent speech presented by Dajuma during the coronation of the newly appointed chief of Takum against the Kuteb and late Ukwe Takum Ali Ibrahim was unjust and unacceptable.
“It is a pity that TY Danjuma referred to late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim as a very bad and terrible chief on flimsy reasons because he was a Kuteb man and a Muslim.
Record have it that late Ukwe Ali ibrahim was an honest and peace loving leader who ruled over the people of Takum from 1963 to 1996 and was adjuged by all as a leader with fear of God.
“We have uncovered a sinister move by Danjuma and his cohorts to force the State Governor to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace which is located behind the Mosque under the guise of Urban development.
“We want the whole world to know that the graves of our late Ukwes who reigned and died are in the palace.
“Any attempt by Danjuma and his cohorts to desecrate the tombs of our fathers will amount to cultural genocide,” he said.
The Kuteb leader also accused Danjuma of preaching peace in the public while he has secretly instigated and funded many crisis in his hometown, Takum.
The very recent was the sponsoring of Fulanis to wipe out over 200 Kuteb villages preparatory to the forceful installation of a Chamba Chief inorder to weaken and silence the Kuteb people in Takum.
“The Kuteb through Ukwe Takum ruled Takum from 1510 to 1996 uninterrupted by any other tribe, how comes Danjuma is forging history that the Kutebs are people from the hills? Ukwen questioned.
Meanwhile, Gen. Danjuma during the convocation of the Chief of Takum described the Kuteb people as troublesome and urged the State Governor, Kefas Agbu to be careful with the Kuteb people.
Forefront recalls that Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria shortly after the appointment of the new chief of Takum, vowed not to recognise the newly crowned chief Sopiya Gboshi from Chamba tribe.
The Kutebs vehemently vowed not to recognise the new Chief and would exhaust every legal means to recover their ancestral stool.
By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.
Kogi State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons in a fatal auto crash on Kabba-Obajana road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state.
The State Sector Commander, Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the accident and death of the five to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja said three others survived the accident with serious injuries.
Oyedeji attributed the accident which involved a Ford Galaxy space wagon and a Mazda car, to speeding and wrongful overtaking.
“The head-on collision between the two cars moving in the opposite directions happened due to speeding and wrongful overtaking by one of the drivers.
“We have been preaching against drivers flouting road safety rules and regulations, yet these motorists hardly heed our warnings.
“Five persons lost their lives in the fatal accident that left three others seriously injured,” he said.
The Sector Commander said that officers from the command immediately carried out a rescue operation at the scene of the accident and rushed the three injured persons to General Hospital, Kabba for medical attention.
Oyedeji said the remains of the five dead persons were also deposited at the mortuary of the Kabba General Hospital.
The Kogi Sector Commander admonished motorists to always endeavour to always obey road safety rules and regulations to avoid fatal auto crashes on the highways. (Ends)
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