Urgent Call for National Peace Policy Adoption in Nigeria

Dr. Ochogwu, the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), delivered a welcome address at the second high-level expert dialogue on the draft national peace policy in Abuja. He highlighted the significant turnout from government and civil society sectors, indicating a collective recognition of the need for peace in Nigeria.

Dr. Ochogwu described Nigeria as being at a crossroads, facing various conflicts such as insurgency in the northeast, farmer-herder clashes in the north-central region, separatist tensions in the southeast, and banditry in the northwest. He explained that the draft policy was developed over a year through consultations across six geopolitical zones and aims to provide a framework for coordinating peacebuilding efforts among government tiers and non-state actors.

He listed four key reasons for the policy's necessity, including eliminating duplications among agencies and enabling evidence-based policymaking. Dr. Ochogwu stressed the urgency of adopting the policy to ensure Nigeria's survival as a unified nation.