A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Search for Common Grounds with objective of peace building has called on stakeholders especially those in conflict areas of the North-east to bring people together across dividing lines for lasting change based on common interest.
This was contained in press statement made available by the Media and Communication Manager in Nigeria, Temisan Etietsola at the end of two-day meeting in Adamawa.
The statement reads, “according to recent figure 7.1m people are in need of humanitarian assistance, 1.8m are internally displaced and 230,462 have sought refuge in neighbouring countries.
“Communities are faced with competing humanitarian, development and
peace building needs actors to develop more coordinated, comprehensive
approaches in view of long-term recovery and resilience.”
Etietsola further said in Adamawa, the state peace search architecture had led to increased collaboration between local government council stakeholders and the state-level actors.
The model empowered communities to champion their own peace in collaboration with other identifying solutions and taking action to halt cycles of violence.
They also supported the state government to establish agency for peace, rehabilitation and reconstruction with a ‘situation room’
during the 2019 elections, among others which signals the state’s investment in peace.
Reviewing their success stories, the Media and Communication Managers, said they established community response networks to mitigate religious tensions, community members to address sexual and gender-based violence, dialogue and collaboration solutions to address farmers-herders conflict.
