The Third Peace Architecture Dialogue, PAD, meeting in Benue has ended with stakeholders calling on all and sundry to support the full implementation of the Benue Anti Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law as a panacea to possible return of peace in all communities of Benue State.
Also, the need for government to create jobs for the growing population of youths in the country so as to curtail youth restiveness and their involvement in cultism and other sundry crimes in the society was advocated.
The PAD meeting was organized by Search for Common Ground, an NGO funded by the Kingdom of Netherlands towards “Transforming the Herder/Farmer Conflict and Promoting the Freedom of Religion and Belief in Nigeria’s Middle Belt”.
The meeting brought together stakeholders including members of Miyethi Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, led by their chairman, Zakari Mohammed, representative of Benue State Planning Commission, BSPC, Mrs, Nambativ Helen, the Benue State Vigilante Group, Dr. Daniel Bo, AFAN and others who pledged their commitment to the peace initiatives.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Orientation, James Agbo, observed that if the Benue people’s open grazing prohibition law is faithfully obeyed as being implemented, peace will be inevitable in the state.
Mr. Agbo encouraged the police and other security agencies to wake up to their responsibilities of ensuring that laws of the land are respected by all inhabitants, even as he urged ‘Search’ to take the sensitization to the rural areas.
The Ter Makurdi, Sule Abenga implored NGOs such as Search and other peace advocates to adopt the Anti Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law as a stand point to their peace crusade in Benue.
He expressed belief that NGOs and Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, can help sensitize the people and concerned agencies towards advancing peace in the society.
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He assured of the cooperation of the traditional institution at ensuring that the NGO records success in their set goals.
Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police, Benue State. CP Mukaddas Garba noted that for peace to be achieved, the causes of crisis must be identified and tackled.
The Commissioner who was represented by the DCP. Ibrahim Zakari, identified some of the causes to include increase in the country’s population, use of children as herders instead of experienced adults, encroachment and destruction of farms and crops, rustling among others.
He said the police have taken proactive measures, high visibility policing, patrols, stop and search and intelligence gathering to surmount the challenges.
Earlier, the State Project Coordinator for Search for Common Ground, Mr. Chorbe Joshua appreciated
participants for reconvening for the meeting saying their various contributions at ensuring the possible return of peace and the resolutions met at the meeting will enhance the next action plan of the organization.
Chorbe reiterated the role of the stakeholders towards the realization of sustainable peace in Benue state and urged the participants to synergise more across the different sectors; government, security agencies, traditional rulers, NGOs and CSOs, religious and community leaders, youth and women associations, persons with disability and Community and Security Architecture Dialogue, CSAD members.
“This will be a more appropriate avenue to exchange ideas and jointly develop action plans that would address issues faced in the communities.”
He further stressed the importance of linking the CSAD issues to the PAD platform for more experts’ contributions and recommendation in resolving the herders/farmers conflict. He also sought for more collaboration across all structures on early warning response in Benue state.
