The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese Bishop Matthew Kukah, has urged Nigerians to take responsibility for confronting injustice by understanding and claiming the rights already available to them.

Speaking at a Northwest regional conference on women and security yesterday in Abuja, Kukah said persistent injustice and inequality in the country are not necessarily due to the absence of opportunities or constitutional provisions, but largely because many citizens lack the awareness and capacity to access them.

The regional conference also coincided with the close out ceremony of a project tagged ‘Strengthening inclusive peace building and access to justice in the northwest’ implemented by Global Rights and the Rule of Law Empowerment Initiative also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria, founded by the United Kingdom Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO).

Drawing parallels with older democracies, Kukah noted that countries such as the United States of America and the United Kingdom who have struggled for centuries to attain justice and equality.

He said, “Progress takes time, and even nations we admire are still struggling with the question of justice. Nigerians must avoid being overly harsh on themselves while remaining committed to improvement.”

He observed that religion has historically been used both as a tool of oppression and a source of liberation, and emphasised that Nigerians should not wait for permission from religious, political or traditional leaders to pursue justice and opportunity.

“This country belongs to all of us. We must develop a greater sense of urgency about what is right,” he said.

He added that justice should not remain an abstract concept but must be reflected in everyday life through fairness, dignity and equal access to opportunities.

The Deputy High Commissioner United Kingdom Mrs. Gill Lever, in her remarks, stated that the UK, through its Integrated Security Fund, was supporting Partners West Africa, Nigeria and Global Rights in implementing a truly community centred and gender responsive approach to peace and security in Katsina, Kebbi, Kano, and Sokoto
states.

She pointed out that the Northwest continue to face complex challenges, including intercommunal tensions, banditry, limited access to justice, and deeply rooted sociocultural norms that disproportionately affect women and girls. .

She observed that both implementing partners have demonstrated that when women and marginalised groups participate meaningfully in peace and justice processes, communities become safer, more resilient, and more cohesive. Evidence from this programme tells a powerful story.

Highlighting some of the success stories from the project , Gill said Global Rights has supported the establishment of gender balanced Community Dialogue Committees, achieving 40percent women’s participation, including the historic turbanning of women into traditional leadership structures in Sokoto State as well as the strengthening of survivor centred referral pathways and the expansion of GBV prevention initiatives in schools, all contributing to enhanced protection and dignity for women, girls, and vulnerable households.

She further noted that Partners West Africa Nigeria also reinforced inclusive peacebuilding by establishing and strengthening community safety partnerships, improving communitypolice relations, and expanding the Police Duty Solicitor Scheme. Through this work, over 323 detainees many of them vulnerable individuals regained their freedom through lawful channels, demonstrating how access to justice can restore trust and reduce rights violations.

The country Manager of Global Right Olubunmi Aweda said when they began the project in Kano, Sokoto, and Kaduna States, they stepped into communities that had long been navigating insecurity, communal tensions, youth violence, banditry, and deeply rooted gender inequalities. But beyond the visible insecurity, there were structural challenges that concerned us just as much.

She said while they were unable to curtail insecurity , they strengthened systems, relationships, procedural safeguards, women’s leadership, youth engagement demonstrating that “inclusive peacebuilding is not theoretical, it is practical. It can be measured. It can be structured. It can be replicated.”.