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IPCR Director-General urges urgent adoption of Nigeria's National Peace Policy
via Punch Nigeria4 min read
Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution IPCR, has called for the immediate adoption and implementation of Nigeria's National Peace Policy. Speaking at the Second High-Level Expert Dialogue on the draft policy in Abuja, Dr. Ochogwu emphasized that peace in Nigeria is a "foundational imperative" and that the country's escalating security challenges, including insurgency, farmer-herder clashes, separatist tensions, banditry, and kidnapping, demand a coordinated and institutionalized response. He stated that the proposed policy aims to address gaps in current peacebuilding efforts by providing a unified framework to harmonize interventions from government agencies, civil society organizations, and development partners, thereby moving beyond fragmented and ad hoc approaches. Dr. Ochogwu highlighted that the policy would enable evidence-based decision-making, shift the focus from reactive crisis management to preventive and strategic peacebuilding, and ensure peacebuilding is mainstreamed across key sectors like security, justice, education, and economic planning. He also noted that the policy aligns with global and regional peace frameworks from the United Nations, African Union, and ECOWAS. The Director-General urged stakeholders to generate the political will and inter-institutional consensus necessary for implementation, warning against bureaucratic delays and institutional rivalry. He added that the administration of President Bo
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