The Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, (SAN), has said the “Final Report on Integrated Approach to Building Peace in Nigeria’s Farmer/Herder Crisis Project in the Middle Belt Nigeria will pave the way for enhanced capacity building of affected communities and serve as early warning for stakeholders to nip crisis in the bud.
A statement on Wednesday by Deputy Director Public Affairs, Fatimah Mohammed said the Executive Secretary spoke at the launch of the final report of the project in Abuja.
He noted that the Commission in collaboration with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) designed the project to build peace in Nigeria’s farmer/herder crisis in the middle belt, Nigeria.
According to Ojukwu, the project commenced in August 2019 with focus on 15 local government of Benue state including Agatu, Buruku, Gboko, Gumi, Gwer-East, Gwer-West, Katsina-Ala, Kwande, Logo, Makurdi, Ogbadigbo, Oju, Otukpo, Tarka and Ukum Local Governments (LGAs).
The Chief Human Rights Officer in Nigeria observed that for the first time, this project has offered a structural approach towards solving the farmer/herder conflicts in the middle belt Nigeria with Benue state as a pilot.
“With success of the peace building efforts resulting in overall reduced conflicts during the period of project implementation, it will be useful while sustaining this project in Benue, to upscale this to Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba states”, the Executive Secretary stated.
Highlighting the scope of the project, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria said specific human rights issues covered are Child and Women Protection, Persons with Specific Needs (PSN) including the elderly, Access to Justice and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Protection issues.
Stakeholders and partners present at the occasion include the representative of the Nigerian Police Force, Mr. Benson Emenike, representative of Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, Mr.Tomas Uduechi, representative of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person, Mr. Gav Festus, representative of the National Commission for Persons with Disabilities, Maryam Hassan and each gave their goodwill messages promising to support the Commission in achieving peaceful coexistence in various Communities in the country.
