The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has established and inaugurated an early response group in Kano state to resolve conflicts from the grassroots in Kano state.
Inaugurating the group, chairman of Kano State Peace Committee(KPC) Comrade Ibrahim A. Waiya said the group would focus on better conflict prevention strategies for a peaceful Nigeria.
According to him, Nigeria is faced with numerous security challenges that are thwarting the desired unity and cohesion, stability, peaceful coexistence, and inclusive development necessary for the pursuit of happiness of every citizen hence the need to create groups saddled with responsibility for conflict resolution.
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Waiya said the development initiated in Abuja has already been implemented in Kaduna and Plateau states with now in Kano, adding that plans are underway to replicate it in other states which would be tagged as Early Warning Response Group(EWRG).
“The objective of IPCR today is to ensure that we close the gap between early warning and early response and entrench a system of collaborative conflict prevention. The prevalence and reality of violent conflict in Nigeria and Africa is evident because there is inadequate communication among stakeholders and there is a disconnection between members of the community and security agencies meant to respond to early warnings,” he said.
“It is apparent that there is the need to find an effective way of communicating early warning to attract the fastest response, to prevent conflict from escalating into violence,” he narrated.
“Conflict early warning signs are usually visible in our communities and many cases reported to constituted authority. However, early responses to these signals often come too little, or too late.”
“This may be one of the reasons why Nigeria is bedeviled with recurring violent conflicts. Early Warning Early Response (EWER), has been a veritable tool for conflict management which the IPCR in collaboration with all of you present at this gathering seeks to build, to ensure an effective EWER system that will become the hallmark of conflict prevention in Nigeria. It is my profound hope that the commitment of the existing National Early Warning Response Group (EWRG) and the integration of this group today will open a new chapter in conflict prevention and mitigation through early response,” Waiya said.
“Strengthening the commitment of the EWRG is significant and we hope that it will be replicated across various communities in the state,” affirmed.
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“This conflict prevention effort that was initiated in Abuja has already taken place in Kaduna and Plateau State.”
“There are plans to expand and replicate the stakeholder’s workshops for the establishment of EWRG beyond Kano to other states to reduce the spate of violence in the country. Constitutionally, the responders to violent conflict reports are the security agencies and that is why almost all the security agencies are here. However, other critical non-security response stakeholders that are crucial for effective and inclusive EWER systems are also here,” he added.