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From Scholastica Onyeka, Makurdi
A two-day workshop on the strengthening of human rights platforms has ended in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with a call on stakeholders to take collaborative steps and build trust among security agencies and civilians to ensure safer Benue communities.
The workshop, which was organized by an International NGO, Search for Common Ground (SEARCH), with participants drawn from the media, security agencies and Civil Society Organisations, CSO, traditional/religious institutions, Person With Disabilities among others, is part of the organisation’s project, “United in Security: A Collaborative Approach to Civilian Protection in Nigeria,” being implemented in Benue and Adamawa States.
Addressing participants at the workshop, SEARCH Project Coordinator Benue, Mr Joshua Chorbe, said the essence of the training was to strengthen Human Rights monitoring platforms to address the menace.
He expressed concern over the spate of human rights violations issues in recent times saying there was a need for stakeholders in Benue to understand human rights issues, rule of law and national security in order to work together to ensure the peaceful existence of citizens.
The facilitator, Sendi Dauda, encouraged participants to focus on building trust between security agents and civilians and to also establish early warning systems, and prioritise early warning and early response as proactive conflict prevention mechanisms.
He pointed out that effective prevention of conflicts and human rights violations is predicated on the relative importance of early response to early warning.
He also emphasised that all stakeholders must deploy dialogue, accountability and transparency to enable them to achieve peace and harmony among community members.
Dauda also urged stakeholders and human rights activists to intensify advocacy against all forms of violations and problems identified in their community until solutions are delivered to the people and a safer living environment for all is achieved.
Some participants, the Police Public Relations Officer, Benue State Command, SP Sewuese Anene and Assistant Chief Legal Officer, National Human Rights Commission, Desmond Jinge who said the training was timely called for more synergy between the Security agencies and the public.
SP Ann Ameh, who noted that security is everyone’s business, said collaboration between all agencies and quick response to the early warning will avert many human rights violations in the state.
Ameh who is the deputy desk officer, Human Rights Office, Benue State Police Command, urged the Benue public to report any case of violations to the office for adequate attention.
