• Group identifies grassroots governance gaps as root cause of upheavals

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, has canvassed decisive and coordinated action to check the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, warning that their spread among bandits and criminal networks poses one of the gravest threats to peace and national security.
He made the call while receiving Zonal Director of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), Abdul Adamu Eneche, and his delegation at the New Government House, Little Rayfield, Jos.

Mutfwang lamented the country’s porous borders, which have encouraged the influx and circulation of dangerous weapons, emboldened non-state actors and aggravated insecurity.

“Indeed, it is very worrisome that a large number of arms and ammunition have found their way into the hands of non-state actors,” he regretted.
Highlighting recent security successes on the Plateau, the governor disclosed that law enforcement agencies had intercepted and confiscated over 40 AK-47 rifles, a development he said reflects both the scale of the problem.

He charged the NCCSALW to intensify its intelligence-driven operations to disrupt illegal arms networks, while ensuring that legitimate self-defence efforts are not misrepresented.

“Let’s go after the real criminals. We must activate and strengthen our intelligence networks to intercept these arms. Where necessary, we will invest in intelligence gathering. As a government, we have directed all our local government chairmen to penetrate the criminal networks of those we have glamourised as bandits, but who, in truth, are dangerous criminals and murderers,” Mutfwang urged.

The governor assured the centre of his administration’s unwavering commitment to collaborating with federal agencies and security stakeholders to reinforce peace and security across the state.

In his remarks, Eneche commended the state government for its robust support of law enforcement efforts, describing Plateau as a vital partner in the national campaign against arms proliferation.

He noted: “It is on this premise that the Federal Government established the Centre to stem the tide of small arms and light weapons,” reaffirming NCCSALW’s readiness to partner with the state in intelligence gathering, public sensitisation, and enforcement operations.

The meeting underscored a shared resolve between Plateau and the NCCSALW to deepen collaboration in safeguarding lives, property, and the stability of the nation.

BUT the Director-General of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, has identified weak and absent governance at the grassroots as one of the biggest drivers of insecurity in the country. He warned that communities left without effective local government structures are exposed to violent actors.

Speaking yesterday in Abuja at a press conference to mark the 2025 International Day of Peace and the 25th anniversary of IPCR, Ochogwu said findings from the institute’s 25 years of research and interventions consistently point to governance gaps at the community level as the root of many conflicts.

“Our findings revealed long ago that the absence of governance at the community level creates vacuums that violent actors quickly exploit.

“Local governments are the frontline institutions for conflict prevention, management and resolution. Where they are weak or non-existent, communities remain open to attacks and lawlessness,” he said. He commended President Bola Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation for securing a Supreme Court judgment affirming local government autonomy, describing it as a bold step that, if enforced, could change the conflict landscape of Nigeria.

Ochogwu also raised the alarm over the deteriorating security situation in the Sahel, warning that instability there would inevitably spill into Nigeria. He added that IPCR is collaborating with ECOWAS, the National Counter-Terrorism Centre, and other partners to contain the threat.

Looking ahead, he announced that IPCR is set to train one million Nigerians in peace-building and conflict resolution free of charge, through an online learning platform under development.

Director of NEEM Foundation, Ahmad Jumare, in a goodwill message, praised IPCR for its support in addressing farmer-herder conflicts and sustaining peace efforts in the Northcentral and Northwest regions.

Also speaking, Rev. Ozumba Emmanuel, who represented the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), congratulated IPCR on raising “a generation of peacebuilders.”

On her part, Josephine Etta of the Standsafe Society Against Drug and Substance Abuse (SSADASA) emphasised the link between drug abuse and violence, thanking IPCR for promoting grassroots campaigns.