Unresolved Disputes Lead To Armed Conflict – NHRC

The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has said that most disputes across Nigeria gradually snowball into armed conflicts and human rights violations due to the absence of peaceful, just, and equitable resolution in the early stages.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chief Tony Ojukwu SAN, disclosed this on Tuesday in commemoration of the 2022 International Peace Day (September 21).

Ojukwu advised Nigerian stakeholders and Non-Nigerians to observe early warning signals and to always adopt a peaceful approach to issues rather than engaging in conflict with disagreeing parties.

“Such conflicts and consequent insecurity, generate unfavorable development climate as well as drain resources for any meaningful development in the country” he added.

In a statement made available to our correspondent by the NHRC Deputy Director Public Affairs, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Ojukwu decried the human rights violations associated with internal security operations in several parts of the country.

He advised security personnel to mainstream human rights into their rules of engagement and operations.

On its part, the ES said the NHRC is working with Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe state governments, the European Union and UNDP with a view to reconciling, reintegrating, and ensuring “Transitional Justice project to address large-scale atrocities and human rights violations suffered by communities and victims of insurgency in the area.”

“This is intended to facilitate peaceful development of the affected communities and to a large extent help in rebuilding damaged communities and bringing lasting peace to the country,” he said.

The statement partly reads, “The NHRC Boss disclosed that the Commission has continually embarked on monitoring of human rights and humanitarian situations of the Internally Displaced Persons, with a view to addressing such critical concerns usually occasioned by violent conflicts and extremism.

“He, therefore, called for a peaceful human rights-based approach to internal security management in order to restore peace in the affected parts of the country.

“Ojukwu further cautioned those who indulge in acts, activities and statements that disparage or dehumanize other persons to desist from such, adding that hate statements, discriminatory practices such as tribalism, nepotism, chauvinism, preferentialism and ethnicity all fan the embers of hatred and conflicts in the country and should be discouraged by all well-meaning Individuals for peace to reign.

“He observed that the theme of this year’s celebration of the International Day of Peace is, “End Racism: Build Peace”, which is apt as it re-emphasizes the need to approach all issues from the standpoint of non-discrimination and inclusiveness, so as to ensure social justice, equity, and peace in the society.

“Buttressing his position which is in tandem with Article 1 of the UN Charter, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria quoted Mahatama Gandhi of India who said, “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.”