The multifaceted approach to fighting insecurity under the present administration led by President Muhammadu Buhari, which include the fight against poverty, will bring back lasting peace in the country.
Nasarawa State governor, Engineer Abdullahi Sule, stated this while inaugurating a Peace building meeting, organized in collaboration with the Middle Belt Brain Trust (MBBT) and the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT), in Lafia, on Tuesday.
While identifying poverty and unemployment, are major factors responsible for insecurity in the country, the governor, stressed that, the poverty reduction and growth strategy, that will be launched soon, shows that President Buhari, is not only talking about peace but also poverty reduction.
Engineer Sule disclosed that, with members of the National Steering Committee on the National Poverty Reduction with Growth Strategy (NPRGS), to be inaugurated later today at the Presidential Villa, with Vice President Professor Yemi Osinbajo as chairman, President Buhari is working to ensure that Nigerians have something to do, thereby reducing poverty and bringing back lasting peace.
Speaking on the event, the governor said the Peace building meeting, is in tandem with the collective commitment to bring lasting solutions to security challenges bordering the North Central zone, in line with the posture of President Buhari, to restore permanent peace across the country.
Engineer Sule noted that the North Central zone of the country is faced with a lot of security challenges, ranging from conflict between farmers and herdsmen, armed robbery, kidnapping and abduction, murder, communal clashes, among other sundry crimes.
The governor reiterated that peace and security is a collective responsibility for all, as according to him, Nigerians must endeavour to come together in unison to fight crimes and criminality, for the collective good of all.
“We, all, must encourage and support the efforts of our security agencies towards securing our environment for socio-economic activities to prosper,” he stated.
Engineer Sule assured that, as government, his administration, will continue to welcome initiatives that will assist towards consolidating the collective commitment to promote peaceful co-existence, for socio-economic development of the society.
To this end, the governor commended organizers of the Peace building process, the MBBT and IFIT, for the laudable initiative, aimed at fashioning ways of addressing security challenges through reconciliation, most especially in the crisis affected states.
Engineer Sule expressed hope to that, the peace-building process, is also intended to put in place measures that would address the ugly phenomenon in the bid to avert the likely breakdown of law and order in the region.Â
The governor used the opportunity, to highlight some major interventions put in place in the region, in the collective efforts, to confront prevailing security challenges.
Earlier, in a welcome address, Mr. Thomas Bimba Jr., Country Coordinator for IFIT, appreciated Engineer Sule, for accepting to host the event, adding that, it’s a reflection of the great efforts by the leadership and people of Nasarawa, have put into building peace and advancing the state.
On his part, Chairman of the MBBT, former Chief of Army Staff, Gen. M. L Agwai (rtd), disclosed that the group’s mission is to build social cohesion by working together to create locally driven social covenants to be led by the people.
The former Chief of Defense Staff explained that, the MBBT brings together 15 Middle Belt specialists, in areas such as inter-religious dialogue, mediation, community development and justice reform, drawn from Nasarawa, Benue, Plateau, Taraba and Kaduna States.
The event which was attended by top government functionaries, traditional rulers, as well as members of civil society organizations, witnessed the Emir of Lafia, HRH Justice Sidi Muhammad Bage I (rtd) and Dr. Nawani Aboki, Chairman, Coalition of Civil Society Organizations, delivered goodwill messages, while Professor Patricia Donli, gave the vote of thanks.
