Stakeholders meet in Southern Kaduna to tackle insecurity

The Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, has called for the creation of vigilant groups comprising all the ethnic groups as a way of tackling insecurity in the hinterlands. General Okonkwo made the call in Kafanchan at a roundtable on peace and security for religious, traditional and community leaders organised by the […]

The Commander of Operation Safe Haven, Major General Chukwuemeka Okonkwo, has called for the creation of vigilant groups comprising all the ethnic groups as a way of tackling insecurity in the hinterlands.

General Okonkwo made the call in Kafanchan at a roundtable on peace and security for religious, traditional and community leaders organised by the Gideon and Funmi Para-Mallam Peace Foundation in partnership with the British High Commission

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He said achieving peace was in the hands of everyone, “but the body language and speech of some communities give credence to some of these criminal activities,” he said, adding that, “If their body language and comments fall in line with their desire for peace, then there will be peace and that peace will last.”

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, called on security personnel, traditional and religious leaders, journalists and other stakeholders to take steps towards dialogue and pull out the flames of revenge and reprisals in Southern Kaduna.

Aruwan, who condemned using ethnicity and religion as a source of retrogression, reiterates Kaduna State Governments’ stands against profiling of innocent citizens because of act committed by criminals with whom they may share an ethnic or religious identity.

Earlier in his welcome address, Rev. Dr Gideon Para-Mallam, the President of the Foundation, said the restorative justice approach is a process which ensures a peaceful resolution of crises by restoring trust rather than through retribution.

“As part of restorative justice, society must be ready to fish out any identifiable person causing the harm in our communities. An example was the action of the Emir of Wase who reported the evil plan of a group who invaded the area,” he added.