Nigeria at risk without conflict prevention — IPCR DG

….as Institute marks 25th anniversary, International Day of Peace
….IPCR to motorboat National Peace Academy, bid 1 cardinal Nigerians

By Favour Ulebor, Abuja

The Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has warned that Nigeria risks becoming a centre for rogue actors successful the Sahel if the Federal Government, states and section governments neglect to prioritise struggle prevention.

Ochogwu made the telephone connected Tuesday successful Abuja during a satellite property league to commemorate the 2025 International Day of Peace, with the taxable “Act Now for a Peaceful World”, and to observe the 25th day of IPCR arsenic Nigeria’s apex peacebuilding institution.

According to him, Nigeria cannot spend to disregard the aboriginal signs of convulsive conflict.

Ochogwu reflected connected the 25-year travel of IPCR, established successful 2000 nether the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, highlighting its interventions successful electoral violence, farmer-herder conflicts, communal crises, and its contributions to planetary peacebuilding done partnerships with the AU, ECOWAS, UN and different agencies.

He said IPCR pioneered the Early Warning System present adopted by ECOWAS and AU, convened the roundtable that birthed the Niger Delta amnesty programme, developed bid and struggle curricula with the National Universities Commission, and produced probe that informed nationalist and determination policies.

According to him, the institute besides precocious Nigeria’s National Action Plan connected Women, Peace and Security, and is presently moving with the Office of the Head of Service to standard up reconciliation and forgiveness grooming crossed the civilian service.

He further revealed that IPCR is launching a National Peace Academy that volition supply escaped online grooming for 1 cardinal Nigerians connected peace, justice, and reconciliation, with certification.

He said, “Government astatine each levels indispensable prioritise struggle prevention, put successful peace-building infrastructure, and guarantee that improvement policies are conflict-sensitive and inclusive. We indispensable besides fortify aboriginal informing and effect systems to forestall tiny conflicts from escalating into convulsive crises. We person a centre for each rogue actors successful the Sahel, it’s Nigeria. So we cannot spend to fto that happen.

“As portion of our 25th day celebration, we are promising to present customised grooming to Nigerians, 1 cardinal Nigerians for free. They volition beryllium capable to log successful online, instrumentality ceremonial courses connected peace, justness and reconciliation, and they volition beryllium certified. We judge this volition physique a caller procreation of bid ambassadors crossed the country.

“The past 25 years person demonstrated that sustainable bid is imaginable erstwhile we enactment with determination, wisdom, and unity.”

Ochogwu besides appealed to the Nigerian backstage assemblage to spot peacebuilding arsenic a captious country for investment.

He called connected spiritual and accepted leaders to usage their power to beforehand tolerance, and connected citizens to clasp their roles arsenic bid ambassadors.

The DG emphasised the relation of the media arsenic a cardinal spouse successful amplifying the voices of peace, urging conflict-sensitive reporting and balanced narratives.

“Once determination is conflict, aft women and children, the adjacent to beryllium affected is backstage businesses. The organized backstage assemblage indispensable put much successful peacebuilding done liable concern practices, conflict-sensitive investments, and enactment for bid initiatives,” helium said.

Outlining the programme of events, helium said the Institute would clasp interfaith prayers astatine the Central Mosque connected September 19 and astatine the National Ecumenical Centre connected September 21.

The celebrations would climax with a bid walk, commemorative lecture, and sheet treatment connected September 22.

Representing the CAN President, Daniel Okoh, the National Director for Education, Youth and Women Development astatine the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ozumba Emmanuel Nicodemus, congratulated the Institute and pledged continued partnership.

Speaking connected behalf of StandSafe Society Against Drug and Su...