Insecurity: PAVE Network wants Govt to deliberately unmask ‘unknown gunmen’
By Chimezie Godfrey
Partnership Against Violent Extremism Network (PAVE) Network has charged the Nigerian government and stakeholders to make deliberate efforts to investigate and unmask the unknown gunmen and women terrorising the country.
The network made this call on its recommendations issued after the meeting of its Steering Committee held on the 9th of August, and of its General Assembly held on the 12th of August and made available on Friday.
The Network also held a two-day strategy development session, during which it reviewed its founding strategic documents – Operational Plan, Institutional Plan, and Strategic Plan – towards the finalisation of a five-year Strategy (Strategic Plan) on the 10th and 11th of August.
The meeting which had in attendance representatives of Strategic Allies – ActionAid Nigeria and the Global Community Emergency And Resilient Fund (GCERF), the Office Of The National Security Adviser (ONSA) reviewed the state of the network, as well as the current situation of insecurity in the country, and the nexus of Violent Extremism.
PAVE, in a press statement signed by Jaye Gaskia, Chair, Steering Committee of the network, revealed that Violent Extremism has assumed a Pan Nigerian dimension, as such Violent Extremism intervention should assume a Pan Nigerian dimension in content and approach.
In a bid to address the problem, the Network urged the government to consider communities as the primary focus and major beneficiary of reintegration projects; while also promoting and actively encouraging intergenerational discussions as a means of enhancing community social cohesion.
” State and non-State Actors should be deliberate about unmasking, identifying and investigating the phenomenon of unknown gunmen/gun women,” the Network stated.
PAVE further urged the government to design and implement trust-building mechanisms between security agencies and communities.
While reaffirming its commitment to working with all stakeholders and communities to achieve the objective of Safer and more resilient communities in the country, PAVE Network said it will regularly meet to review the context of PCVE in Nigeria and globally, draw and share lessons from ongoing practice and interventions, based on this issue Advisories to government and recommendations to all stakeholders.
The Network added that it will generally work to improve the quality, effectiveness and impact of PCVE interventions, and ensure that such interventions and programs are based inclusive and equitable, based on social justice, and do not violate the Human Rights of citizens, residents and communities.
Meanwhile, the PAVE Network has welcomed the recent appointment of Rear Admiral (rtd) OEM Musa as the pioneer National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Center (NCTC) under ONSA by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“This appointment is well deserved, given the leadership and dedication shown by the appointee over the last five years in his previous role as Director of the Counter Terrorism Directorate under ONSA.”
PAVE Network is a network of Civil Society Organisations (primarily NGOs and CB0s) working on and programming around Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) in Nigeria.
The Partnership Against Violent Extremism – PAVE Network is a network of Civil Society Organisations (primarily NGOs and CB0s) working on and programming around Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (PCVE) in Nigeria.
