Insecurity: NHRC, UNDP, Adamawa Govt Advocate People-Oriented Approach

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Adamawa State Government have advised that initiatives aimed at addressing the nation’s security challenge should be people-centred.
They argued that the success of any peace building and conflict resolution initiative requires the buy-in of the people.
The Executive Secretary, NHRC, Tony Ojukwu; Solicitor General of Adamawa State, Samuel Yaumande and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Reintegration and Humanitarian Services, Aishatu Bibi Umar Rilwanu, also suggested the adoption of transitional justice at securing peace in troubled parts of the country.
This was the submission at a training workshop on ‘Transitional Justice and Reconciliation in North-East Nigeria’, organised by the NHRC with support from UNDP and the European Union (EU) in Yola, on Monday.
Represented by his Special Human Rights Adviser, Hilary Ogbonna, Ojukwu stressed the relevance of transitional justice in the country at ensuring peace and reconciliation among inhabitants of the crisis-ridden parts of the country like the North-East.
He noted that the desire for transitional justice was no longer limited to the North-East, because other parts of the country, including the North-West, South-East are equally battling insecurity.
Ojukwu added that it was gradually becoming important to develop a national framework for promoting peace, reconciliation and reintegration.
He said the two-day training was aimed, among others, at exposing the media to the concept of transitional justice, and its application to addressing causes of conflicts and ensuring accountability.
Yaumande and Rilwanu hailed the NHRC for the initiative and pledged Adamawa State Government’s support towards engendering peace, reconciliation and reintegration of its people.
In his paper titled: “Framing speech: Roles of Media in Peace Building, Reconciliation and Transitional Justice in Conflicts Societies in West African,” Dr. Chukwuemeka Eze said the media is an important tool in conflict management.
He urged the media to refrain from emphasising issues that would escalate conflicts and avoid sensational reportage.