Insecurity: PeacePro’s Frightening Report On Threat To Peace In States

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – Following the dimension insecurity has assumed in the country, an Independent Peace Building Organization on the aegis of ‘Foundation for Peace Professional also known as PeacePro’ has identified Katsina and Zamfara States as epic Centers of banditry in the country.

It stressed that banditry in the mentioned states has risen to insurgency level, requiring full attention like the Boko Haram situation in the North East.

PeacePro also noted that in Abia State, farmers-herders clashes have become a serious threat just as it identified the Eastern Security Network of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as a threat, describing the threat posed by the separatist group, as insurgency.

These were contained in its January Report on insecurity in Nigeria in which it also said that other threats in Abia include the Abia-Akwa Ibom border clash in Ikwuano and Obot community, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and Self-Acquired Tricycle Owners Association (SATOA).

The PeacePro in a statement by an Executive Director of the organisation, Mr Abdulrazaq Hamzat also noted that in Adamawa, a group known as Shila Boys has become a major threat, in addition to the degradation of natural resources.

It also noted that the recurring communal crisis between Umueri and Aguleri communities in Anambra remains a security threat, as well as the alleged land grabbing by suspected agents of State Housing Development Corporation.

According to the Report of the PeacePro; “In Bayelsa and Edo States, cultism and herders crisis were identified as threat.

“In the Federal Capital Territory, PeacePro says that increasing rate of Kidnaping and armed robbery, especially in Abaji to Kogi road is a threat, warning that this renewed criminality may threaten the security of the FCT,” the Report stated.

PeacePro therefore urged Government at both State and Federal levels to pay more attention to these threats and find lasting solution to them.

Hamzat explained that “State of Peace in Nigeria” was put together to spotlight on manifest threat to peace in the country, adding that the Report is to document state specific threat to peace for the ease of reference and to put peacebuilding at the forefront of national conversation with the aim of making peace building centre piece of national security.