By Ngozi Uwujare

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Commandant-General, Mr. Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, has vowed to deal with any state commandant caught in acts of rivalry with other security agencies.

He said, during a three-day workshop tagged “Significance of Conflict Prevention, Peace Building and Alternative Dispute Resolution on Peaceful Co-existence in Nigeria” in Abuja recently, that the corps appreciated the efforts of United Nations Development Programme in partnering with the agency since 2014: “This is laudable and commendable with regard to the remarkable result and landmark achievements that this partnership has in the past and will continue to bear on the capacity building of Civil Defence officers at various levels. My observation is based on the annual report from various desk officers across the country who are all chartered and certified meditators.

“This is the time all the men and women in uniform realise that they are being paid to protect life and property.  Any state command that fights with any security agency in the country, henceforth, will be dealt with.

“We have to co-operate with all the security agencies because the NSCDC is known for peace. So do not fight with any security organisation. We have come a long way. We have achieved a lot together, even the government recognises this fact. Our former Commandant-General, Dr. Ade Abolurin, laid a solid foundation for us. And I am going to build on it.”

In 2014, the corps in collaboration with UNDP organised a training workshop for senior staff of the NSCDC on mediation, conflict, prevention, peace building and non-violent elections. The training had in attendance all commandants, with the aim of providing the officers with requisite skills and resources for proactive action to ensure effective post-conflict peace building, election monitoring management and security.

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“In today’s world, conflict management and crisis prevention are no longer reactive activities but are proactive, skills-based, involving systematically identifying and utilising coping skills with adaptive components. Both are also specialty fields with multi-dimensional methodologies, management designs and protocol that encompass problem-solving mechanisms.

“Training and re-training of officers and men of various security agencies in Nigeria is a welcome development and should be encouraged. Conflict management and crisis prevention require taking concrete steps that are directed at preventing and ending conflicts and crisis through leadership decision-making which entails, coherence, co-operation and coordination during both natural and human instituted disasters and mitigating that impacts.

“NSCDC is already addressing community-level disputes and grievances. In 2016, no fewer than 12,000 formally registered disputes were settled by the NSCDC. We have capacities to mediate in disputes at local level, seek alternative solutions, as well as prevent conflicts from escalating. We are doing our communities a great service and by extension, we are making significant contributions to peaceful co-existence in Nigeria.

“Preventing and reducing violent conflict in Nigeria is feasible, although it will take time. UNDP will continue to work with the stakeholders and NSCDC to mitigate conflicts and build sustainable peace and stability at all levels of governance.

“This is in line the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal that seeks to promote peaceful and inclusive societies, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Nigeria needs peace to harness its abundant potential for the good of its people and for us to play a critical leadership role in Africa and the world at large,” he said.