THE National Human Rights commission (NHRC) has called for enhanced collaboration among stakeholders to tackle the humanitarian challenges in parts of the northeast affected by violent crisis.

Executive Secretary, NHRC, Mr Tony Ojukwu made the call at a human rights, peace and security conference organised by the Search for Common Ground (Search), NHRC and Northeast Civil Society Forum in Maiduguri on Tuesday.

Ojukwu, who was represented by Deputy Director, Legal, Mr Dahiru Bobbo, said that enhanced synergy among stakeholders would “save scarce resources and result in greater integrated development of the affected region”.

“We have a big role to play in what is being developed today underlying the issue that it is a local solution which means different stakeholders are involved to look at what needs to be developed in this meeting.

“Role sharing is a key item that needs to be identified so we can project efforts being made at all levels, because at the end of the day there has to be community ownership of whatever is churned out today.”

Mr Ahmed Shehu, Regional Coordinator, Network of Civil Society Organisations in Lake Chad Region said that it was pertinent for Nigerians to complement efforts in promoting peace and development in the country.

“The role of the civil society is that we serve as the voice to the voiceless and we also complement the efforts of key stakeholders.

“It is not enough for citizens to sit and wait for peace to come; we all have to play a role. The government’s role is to protect the citizens especially in the provision of security.

“At the end of the day we are expected to come up with a resolution on how best the northeast can come out of insurgency.”

The Country Director, Search Nigeria, Mr Rajendra Mulmi said that the organisation would work with civil society and national organisations to implement the outcome of the conference.

Mulmi was represented by the Head of Office, North East, Mr Cleto Manjeva.

“This conference is going to help stakeholders and the idea is for them to assume ownership of this integrated approach; our expectation is that government takes a leading role in complementing efforts of international agencies.

“This does not only empower the communities but ensures sustainability of intervention.

“The outcome that we are going to come up with from this conference will be shared with all stakeholders, and we will come up with a strategy to support the intervention with the involvement of affected communities.”

The two-day conference would develop a two-year strategy to address issues of peace, security and human rights in parts of the northeast and enhance coordination among major stakeholders to meet the humanitarian needs in affected communities.

Since the start of the conflict in 2009, the UN says there has been widespread displacement, violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, protection risks and a deepening humanitarian crisis.

The UN says out of about 2.1 million people that fled their homes, 1.7 million are still currently internally displaced and almost 200, 000 people are still in Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

In the three most affected states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, 7.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, more than 50 per cent of whom are children. (NAN)

– Feb.  27, 2018 @ 15:45 GMT |