The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung have emphasized the need for greater attention to social justice, inclusion, and economic opportunities to sustain peace in Nigeria. This call was made during the fifth induction ceremony of members of the National Peace Academy in Abuja. The event saw the induction of new peace practitioners from various public and private institutions, including the Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigeria Police Force.
According to the Director-General of IPCR, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, peace cannot be sustained solely through the absence of violence. He stressed that exclusion, inequality, and perceived injustice can create conditions for renewed conflict. Ochogwu noted that the induction of new peace practitioners aims to strengthen Nigeria's professional peace architecture and build capacity for conflict prevention and resolution.
The inductees, drawn from various institutions, demonstrated that peacebuilding is a collective responsibility. Ochogwu urged them to become agents of dialogue, reconciliation, and de-escalation in their respective organizations and communities. He encouraged them to model dialogue over division, fairness over partisanship, inclusion over exclusion, and restraint over reaction.
Ochogwu emphasized that the true measure of the induction would not be the certificates awarded but the impact the practitioners make in preventing conflicts, resolving disputes, and strengthening institutions. He noted that their interventions should contribute to a society where people can pursue their aspirations with dignity, fairness, and a sense of belonging.
The Country Representative of FES Nigeria, Lennart Oestergaard, also spoke at the event, stating that there can be no lasting peace without social justice. He argued that peace must go beyond the absence of violence to include dignity, economic security, and equal opportunities. Oestergaard noted that poverty, inequality, exclusion, and lost livelihoods can fuel conflicts and make recruitment into armed groups easier.
Oestergaard identified trust between security forces and communities, mediation and early warning, jobs for young people, women's participation, regional cooperation, and effective use of peacebuilding institutions as key measures for strengthening peace. He also called for greater trust between security forces and communities, noting that security operations alone cannot guarantee lasting peace.
Oestergaard further emphasized the importance of credible, peaceful, and inclusive elections in 2027, stating that it would be one of the best investments in peace Nigeria could make. He urged the newly inducted members to apply their knowledge across government institutions, security agencies, universities, communities, and civil society to promote peace and social justice.
Key points
- Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung call for social justice, inclusion to sustain peace in Nigeria
- New peace practitioners inducted to strengthen Nigeria's peace architecture
- Lasting peace requires trust between security forces and communities, says FES representative
