Stakeholders Validate Plan To Curb Violence In Plateau

Efforts to combat security threats and other forms of violence in Plateau State have received a boost as critical stakeholders validate the 2025-2028 Early Warning and Early Response, EWER, and the Standard Operating Procedures, SOPs to ensure conflicts are promptly addressed before they escalate.

The stakeholders had observed that the relationship between early warning and early response has not always been effective, hence the need to strengthen the link and build peaceful and inclusive communities.

The validation of the draft, which took place in Jos, the State capital, was facilitated by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, HD, through its Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria, SPRING project funded by the United Kingdom International Development.

The Country Director of HD, Chris Agoha, explained that the initiative is to engender more stable and peaceful communities where citizens experience reduced violence and increased resilience to the changing climate impacts, adding that the objective of the project is to collaboratively develop a response strategy that guarantees inclusion.

His words, “Over the past three weeks, HD held consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, across the three senatorial zones, and at the State-level, with participants drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, State and Local Government officials, Traditional and Religious Leaders, Community stakeholders, Civil Society Organizations and other Non-State actors.

“The objective is to collaboratively develop a Response Strategy and SoPs through stakeholder consultations, ensuring inclusivity, alignment, and commitment to strengthening the EWER systems in Plateau State. In the ever-evolving landscape of global threats, the need for swift and effective response mechanisms is paramount.

“Early warning and early response systems are intended to identify and analyze conflict trends, provide alerts to conflict risk, inform decision-making, and initiate timely responses to prevent violent conflicts. Promoting local ownership and community-based reporting will empower communities to take an active role in conflict prevention and resolution integrating tactical and strategic early warning approaches and sharing data among stakeholders will enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the EWER system.”

He added, “Addressing conflicts before they manifest has become crucial to minimize its negative ramifications and foster sustainable development. Conflict prevention is always less costly than dealing with a crisis in terms of human life, destruction, and instability in neighboring countries.

“Early warning can be an effective instrument if strongly linked to respondents. However, the relationship between early warning and early response has not always been effective. Thus, strengthening this link to provide better responses to violent conflicts necessitates encouraging stronger relations among the ‘warners’ and the respondents, and exchanges to discuss strategies for response.”

However, the stakeholders have recommended diverse strategies that should be unilaterally adopted to mitigate violence in communities in the State.
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