Stakeholders List Dialogue, Collective Efforts To Tackle Insecurity In Edo Communities

Iduozee Efe Paul, Benin

In order to tackle insecurity and to reduce the incessant killing and crimes in various communities in Edo state, statkeholders have recommended and listed dialogue, constant holding of town hall meetings, that

police should be more forceful in dealing with the bandits and kidnappers in Edo state.

Arising in a communique in an event organized by

Connected Advocacy (CA), a Non-Governmental  Organisation that strongly believes in strengthening and empowering marginalised communities through sustainable developmental interventions, and collaborative advocacy for better government policies, that can positively transform African communities.

 The town meeting which was entiled:"Edo Act Now: Developing  Early Warnning System for Community Stakeholders, Security and Media",  with the theme: " Community Oranizing: The Role of Citizens in Environmental Conflict, Mitigation and prevention," Benin city, Edo state, said,

every one should be responsible for security issues in the state.

They posited that, community should estalish a system for listening to happenings, such as; community volunteers, social media, traditional media, google alerts, monitoring radio to listen to what is going on in our localities.

Also, other suggestions the stakeholders outlined are; the openstructured conversations, Listen to diverse groups of people, Trust is essential and 

Training where possible, town hall meeting on insecurity issues should be replicated in other states, that community leaders should be actively involved in security matters in their communities, and they should be involved in court case follow-up and community leaders should develop the community according to standard and there should be an appropriate succession in leaderships.

 

They asserted that the purpose of land allocation by the community leaders should be to the benefit of both the community and the foreigners and quick mapping should be made in the community so that there wouldn’t be land interference that can cause intercommunity fracas.

Given his speech, the Executive Director of Freedom of Information Counsel, President Aigbokhan, Esq, dwelled on preparing a safety plan – steps to take before, during, and after violent attacks.

Aigbokhan Esq, lamented about the mass atrocities as an act of extreme violence inflicted in the community by civilians and non civilians. 

The legal experts explained that there are internal conflicts and the fact that these communities accept atrocity should not mean the police should deter from doing their policing work.

 Aigbokhan disclosed that mass atrocities should not be the work of the police alone, that civil defence corps should be involved.

In his comments, Mr. Lar Apir, an expert in security and Conflict Mediation talked on building an effective community based early warning system to prevent atrocities and forensic evidence gathering for seeking justice/redress.

Lar Apir said when conflict occur in a locality that people in the community should Listen, Verify and

 engage the Indigenes to know what really happened  before taking action.

He butttressed , " don't  just ignore or deny the story! Replace it with factual information and encourage people to share and verified information. Use trusted communication channels to dispel fake news after verification.

" Use local language, as much as possible. Leverage on local customs, culture and structures. Ensure you are being understood. Ensure all gatekeepers are provided with the right information once verified."

Speaking on forensic evidence gathering for Justice/Redress, Mr Laz Apir said Forensic Evidence refers to the body of facts (objects) or information that is gathered from the crime scene that is analyzed through medical or technological means.

He said:" the evidence is basically used to prove or disprove certain facts that show whether something  occurred or not. Types: Real evidence. Demonstrative evidence. Documentary evidence. Testimonial evidence. He ended with steps in forensic gathering which are; identification, collection , preservation , examination, analysis ,presentation and discussion. If you don’t tell your story some else will tell it ."

In his welcome address, the Executive Director, Connected Advocacy, (CA), Prince Israel Orekha, said the essence of the event is to build the capacity of key media and community stakeholders in Edo state on how to identify early warning signs and take required safety action to prevent the attacks and/or reduce casualty. 

Prince Orekha said it equally 

strengthen the synergy between citizens, security agencies, media, and the human rights commission and stressed that  there is need to strengthen grassroots communities’ relationship with security operatives, and the human rights commission using the early warning signs to ensure prompt response to deter attacks of various degrees.

He explained," for instant our neighboring state Ondo has witnessed mass atrocity that they never envisaged - attack on church, communal clashes, killings, land grabbing, kidnapping and community invasions by unknow gunmen killing, destroying lives and means of livelihood.

 " Edo state which is the heartbeat of the nation, a transit route to east, North and South is currently experiencing pockets of violent attacks in the North, Central and South; if something is not done urgently to increase citizens readiness and improve knowledge on early warning signs for citizens to know the appropriate measures to mitigate such attacks, more attacks will come. In this regard."

In his seech, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Muhammed, who represented the commissioner of police,  thanked Connected Advocate and other partners for  organizing the town hall meeting.

DCP Muhammed said the event came at a time when insecurity challenges in the country is escalating and stressed that the police force cannot do it alone, that there is  need for collective responsibility to solve the plight.

He explained that the community are the solutions to insecurity, that they are watchdogs of their communities.

Also, in her speech, Mrs. Georgina Erifeta, Director, Windows on America , said there is quick need for peaceful coexistence and dialogue, that this will go a long way to deter attacks and prevent max atrocities.

 For Mr. Kenneth I. Woghiren, the Director of Climate Change Edo State Ministry of Environment and Sustainability  , emphasized on the root cause of farmer herder clashes, as he  linked it with migration occasioned by climate change  about the issue of the drought in the north.

Woghiren's said there should be an urgent need to address the land use and develop an adaptation measure to strengthening  intercommunity relations and peaceful coexistence with one another.

Pa Solomon Omoragbon the leader of Abummenre community and Sir, Egharevba Felix Odionwere of Igolo community who has suffered from the attacks of  herders-farmer conflict, and other communities representative also expressed their fears , that member of their communities have all ran to the city, because of the constant crisis that often occured.

They said some currently in the IDP camp, due to the invasion of some herders who entered our communities with their animals and weapons has destroyed most of our means of livelihoods , we are  calling on the federal and state government, the international communities  to come to their rescue