The Foundation for Partnership Initiative in the Niger Delta (PIND), has issued a call to stakeholders in Ondo State’s Niger Delta region to prioritize peace initiatives and quell youth unrest.
Recognizing the pressing need for proactive measures, the foundation has launched extensive youth empowerment programs aimed at fostering engagement and nurturing regional tranquility.
Speaking at the Niger Delta peace and security network meeting convened at the Sunview Hotel, Alagbaka, Akure, Mrs. Stella Ikeokwu, the facilitator of PIND, addressed underlying causes of conflict. She pinpointed issues such as land disputes, water boundary clashes, and inter-cult tensions as primary drivers of youth unrest within the Niger Delta.
Ikeokwu emphasized the cost-effectiveness of conflict prevention over management, prompting concerted efforts from diverse stakeholders including religious bodies, traditional leaders, civil society organizations, and the media.
Collaboratively, they are devising strategies to preemptively tackle conflict triggers and bolster peace-building initiatives across the region.
Notably, in the riverine areas of Ilaje/Ese-Odo, recurring inter-cult clashes have claimed lives and destabilized communities. Through collaborative intervention with uniformed services, PIND has intervened in these conflicts, seeking resolutions and restoring stability.
Additionally, the foundation has embarked on efforts to provide alternative livelihood options for youths, facilitating the disengagement of ex-militants and former cult members from destructive affiliations.
Echoing the sentiments, Chief Pius Akomolafe, the National Coordinator of Partners for Peace in the Niger Delta, emphasized the Important role of the foundation in maintaining peace within the region.
He said that the recent meeting aimed to institutionalize a structured framework for coordinating peace and security mechanisms in Ondo State, thereby mitigating conflicts and fostering sustainable peace across the Niger Delta.
