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The Benue State Government has inaugurated the Benue Peace Implementation Committee (BPIC) to ensure that agreements reached to resolve conflicts in the state are effectively implemented and translated into lasting peace and development.
The Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, represented by his Deputy, Sam Ode, described the inauguration as a crucial step in moving from the signing of peace agreements to their actual implementation.
Speaking through his Deputy, Governor Alia commended the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) for its sustained partnership with the state in promoting dialogue, conflict resolution and reconciliation, citing peace agreements reached in Agatu, Konshisha and Oju, as well as the recently signed Benue State Natural Resource Sharing Agreement.
He said the signing of peace agreements was only the beginning, stressing that their success would depend on effective coordination, monitoring, accountability, community participation and sustained commitment by all stakeholders.
The Governor identified institutional coordination, monitoring and reporting, inclusivity and community ownership, early warning and response, and sustainability as key priorities for the committee.
According to him, his administration is committed not only to responding to conflicts but also to preventing them through dialogue, early warning mechanisms, addressing grievances and strengthening institutions.
He said peace was essential for agriculture, investment, infrastructure, education, healthcare and the overall development of the state.
Under its Terms of Reference, the committee will serve as the principal multi-stakeholder mechanism for coordinating, overseeing and monitoring the implementation of the Benue State Natural Resource Peace Agreement and its Implementation and Monitoring Plan.
It will provide strategic leadership for dialogue, mediation, early response to emerging conflicts and confidence-building among communities.
The committee is also mandated to track compliance with key commitments, including climate-smart natural resource management, strengthening community-led dialogue and peacebuilding mechanisms, establishing community early-warning systems, promoting land and boundary demarcation, and supporting inclusive and participatory leadership selection processes.
It will further identify emerging conflict trends and facilitate timely interventions to prevent escalation, while promoting peaceful coexistence through inclusive dialogue and stakeholder engagement.
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The committee is also expected to support equitable, transparent and sustainable management of natural resources, including land and water, as a means of addressing some of the drivers of conflict.
The Terms of Reference provide for quarterly meetings and extraordinary meetings where necessary. The committee is required to prepare quarterly progress reports on implementation of the Peace Agreement, submit annual reports to the state government through the Secretary to the State Government and provide periodic briefings to HD and other supporting institutions.
Welcoming participants earlier, the Country Manager of HD Nigeria, Chris Agoha, called for sustainable peace, reconciliation and conflict prevention in Benue State.
He explained that the committee emerged through broad consultations with stakeholders and comprises people committed to restoring Benue’s reputation as a peaceful and hospitable state. He urged them to work hard not only to prevent violence but also to promote justice, trust and mutual respect among Benue communities.
Agoha urged members to anchor their work on respect, honesty and hope while strengthening mechanisms for preventing renewed violence in communities emerging from conflicts.
The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Deborah Aber, commended HD for remaining committed to peacebuilding despite setbacks, saying dialogue had enabled stakeholders to identify common challenges and develop solutions.
She welcomed the inclusion of women and youths in the committee and urged members to deepen their engagement with the groups, particularly women who often bear the greatest burden of conflict through displacement and other hardships.
Representing the Tor Tiv, Tor Jechira, HRM Edward Ujege pledged the continued support of traditional rulers to the peace initiative and called for youth empowerment and skills acquisition to address unemployment, which he identified as a major contributor to conflicts.
He said traditional institutions were well positioned to support peacebuilding because of their close contact with communities.
