NOA, CSOs advocate counter-narratives to end insurgency

The Director-General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Garba Abari, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders, have advocated intensified efforts on counter narratives to end violent extremism in Nigeria.

They made the call at the inauguration of “Time to tell the Truth Campaign” by Truth Alliance, a coalition of civil society organisations (CSOs) and critical stakeholders in Northeast Nigeria and in Niger Republic, on Wednesday in Abuja.

Abari said the issue of violent extremism had taken a toll on Nigeria’s landscape in so many forms like social, economic, and political dislocations which he said had become of great concern not only to Nigeria but across the entire West African region.

He said that violent extremism activated by the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) had also become part of a global terrorist franchise.

According to him, to actually beginning to tell the truth in addition to what has been done by the government, civil society and donor agencies are to have a deeper interrogation of the processes leading up to what we are seeing today.

Abari said the Borno Model of the state government had in recent time attracted a large turn out of the repentant Boko Haram terrorists in their thousands who had surrendered.

He said the Federal Government had also developed a home grown response to reducing the fighting capacity of Boko Haram under the Operation Safe Corridor as a direct policy response to get them out, deradicalise them.

He said the inauguration was an attempt to interrogate how far the efforts had reduced the fighting ability of those elements that had taken arms against the states.

“We in NOA have a sense that we must actually begin to complement the efforts of what the Neen Foundation and Truth Alliance are doing to get community buy in.

“This is because, it is important that to deradicalise, reintegrate or integrate as the case may be, it must be community driven, because the community is essentially the very first recipient of the devastation of this.

“How do we strike the very delicate balance between the feeling of the victim and that of the perpetrator? Because this is a very hot potato in the hand of Government, the donor agencies and peace building institutions.

“Boko Haram is an ideologically driven rebellion against the state and what we in the National Orientation Agency have just have discovered is counter narrative and this is one thing that neither government nor all was involved in countering violent extremism.

“Dealing with terror groups have succeeded over the years but alternative narrative is one area that we need to emphasise and develop more competencies and the capacity around it,” he said.

The Federal Commissioner, National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons, Imam Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said that violence, extremists, had perpetrated mass atrocities, internal displacement and refugees.

Sulaiman-Ibrahim, who was represented by his Chief of Staff. Ms Grace Ukpong, said that the commission’s responsibility was to protect and assist victims of violence, especially the IDPs and refugees.

He said that while millions of people had been affected by insurgency, the discourse around the imperceptible, invisible harm that extremism had inflicted on communities, societies and and countries was still underestimated.

Rotary Club tasks Abuja community leaders on peace initiatives

The Rotary Club of Abuja Imperial, has urged community leaders to convey the message of peaceful coexistence among their followers irrespective of religion, political affiliation and cultural differences.

Mr Adedotun Amori, Charter President, Rotary Club of Abuja Imperial, made the call at a oneday community dialogue on sustainable peace building and conflict prevention on Saturday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the dialogue session is focused on sensitising community leaders on the imperatives of peace before, during and after the 2023 general elections.

Amori said that peace is critical in the development of every society, adding that the essence of this dialogue was to educate people to eschew violence and embrace peace always.

“As part of Rotary’s cardinal area of focus, we decided to bring the message of peace building and conflict prevention to the people of Kadokuchi.

“We have had the opportunity to speak with the community leaders on effective communication in resolving conflicts, practical and easy ways to promote peace in our communities and ensure conflict prevention.

“We have also discussed with them on the essence of security as we approach the next general elections and the need to uphold effective leadership qualities as necessary tools towards building sustainable peace in our communities,’’ Amori said.

Earlier, the resource persons emphasised the need for the community leaders to promote actions and ideas that would entrench peace in their various communities.

Ms Bukola Shaba, a communication expert, urged them to use effective communication as a tool for conflict prevention and resolution in their communities.

Shaba encouraged them to demonstrate love in handling situations within their families and members of their communities.

Mr Babayemi Olaniyan, Lead Partner, Lehi Attorneys, in his presentation titled “Practical Ways of Promoting Peace in the

Community’’ urged the community leaders to always appreciate individual differences among their subjects.

Olaniyan said it was important for them to understand individual differences as people interpret things differently.

“There are intra personal conflicts and inter personal conflicts and once you are able to understand these conflict areas you will be able to understand people.

“Like the onion model, the onion has different layers; once you keep on peeling off the external parts you gradually get to the inside of the onion and that is how human beings are.

“You see them from the outside and they give you a different perception of who they are but if you check deep you see the kind of persons they are, their desires and their fears.

“And once you understand that about human beings you will be able to prevent conflict.

“As community leaders they are constantly engaging with community members so the best way to prevent conflict is to understand who they are dealing with.

“Once they understand who they are dealing with it helps them manage issues better,’’ he said.

Dr Funmilayo Oyefusi, urged the community leaders to explore effective communication process to promote peace in their various communities.

She urged them to always embrace dialogue, noting that mutual respect is critical in ensuring sustainable peace and conflict prevention.

Oyefusi urged them to demonstrate confidence, integrity and ability to influence others.

She tasked them to show determination towards peace, be socially friendly and initiate pro-active measures to forestall negative occurences.

On his part, Dr Olukayode Obayomi urged the community leaders to promote the security of their communities, particularly during the elections.

Obayomi urged them to ensure social and personal peace among themselves that would promote peace in their families and the society at large.(NAN)

By Musa Baba Adamu

The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Senatorial candidate for Nasarawa West, Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, has urged his supporters to conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the upcoming general elections.

Wadada made the call weekend while concluding his campaign rally at Garaku Ward, Kokona Local Government area of the state.

Wadada had gone round 59 Wards in five Local Government Areas of the Senatorial district to solicit the support of the electorate and blessings of royal fathers.

The senatorial flag bearer enjoined the electorate to be decisive, think about the current reality and reflect on the dynamics of time, while exercising their civic responsibility on the day of the election.

He said “My call to the electorate has always been one that we should