Civil Liberty Organizations (CSOs), and other key stakeholders in the South East have called on the Federal Government to prioritize non-kinetic approaches to complement efforts in addressing separatist agitations in the region.
This appeal was made during a one-day dialogue titled “Building Trust and Enhancing Civil-Military Relations in Nigeria’s South East Geopolitical Zone,” held in Enugu on Monday. The event was organized by the Security, Violence, and Conflict Research Group (SVCRG), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), in collaboration with the United States Institute for Peace (USIP).
Participants at the dialogue also urged the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), in order to consolidate recent progress toward restoring peace and security in the South East.
Speaking to journalists, the Coordinator of SVCRG, Professor Freedom Onuoha, explained that the call for Kanu’s release was based on findings from research conducted by the group on the causes of insecurity and separatist agitations in the South East.
“SVCRG carried out research on countering violent separatism and criminality in the South East. We found that using non-military approaches, including the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, would ensure peace and security in the region,” Professor Onuoha said.
He added that the continued detention of Kanu is seen by many locals as unjust and has fueled the ongoing separatist movement. He advocated for strategic dialogue with the agitators and the granting of certain concessions to bring about lasting peace.
Professor Onuoha also called on South East governors to engage more sincerely with the Federal Government to pursue political solutions that would lead to Kanu’s release and help stem insecurity and violence in the region.
Similarly, Professor Chris Kwaja, the Country Director of USIP, emphasized the need for strategic dialogue between the military and separatist groups to improve civil-military relations in the South East. Represented by USIP Programme Officer Terfa Hemen, he encouraged South East governors to heed the voices of their constituents by constructively engaging the Federal Government to adopt political solutions to the crisis.
Participants at the dialogue also discussed measures to strengthen trust and collaboration between the military and local communities in order to sustain the recent improvements in security.
In his presentation, titled “Insecurity, Separatist Agitation, and Militarisation in the South East,” Professor Chukwuemeka Nwanegbo, Director of the Institute for Peace, Security, and Development Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Anambra State, attributed the rise of separatist agitations to the failure of governance in the region. He criticized the Federal Government’s military approach, stating that it had turned peaceful agitations into violent movements.
He advocated for integrating freedom fighters into peacebuilding processes to achieve long-term stability.
Princess Amaka Uzodinma, Head of Peace Building at the South East Zonal Office of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, urged the government and stakeholders to engage youths in ethical value reorientation to combat the get-rich-quick mentality. She also called for youth empowerment programs from both federal and state governments.
Additionally, Dr. Obioma Chike-Okenyi of the Institute for Peace, Conflict, and Development Studies, Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), raised concerns over allegations of sexual harassment of women by security forces in the region. She urged authorities to investigate such claims thoroughly to build trust between the military and the local population.
Participants concluded that a non-kinetic, dialogue-driven approach was essential to achieving sustainable peace in the South East.
Peoplesmind