The Partnership Against Violent Extremism Network 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 in its recommendations after a meeting of its Steering Committee on August 9, 2022.
It also said this at its General Assembly held on August 12, 2022.
The resolution of both were made available to the media 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 August 10 and 11, 2022.
The meeting, which had in attendance representatives of Strategic Allies: ActionAid Nigeria, Global Community Emergency and Resilient Fund and Office of the National Security Adviser, 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 statement signed by Jaye Gaskia, Chair, Steering Committee of the network, revealed that violent extremism has assumed a pan-Nigerian dimension as such 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 programmes 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 OEM Musa (retd) as the pioneer National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Centre under ONSA by President Muhammadu Buhari.
It said: “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 in Nigeria.
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