The National Orientation Agency has appealed to Katsina State Governor Dikko Radda to recognise and support the ongoing peace building efforts at various frontline areas in the state.

NOA Director in the state, Muntari Lawal-Tsagem, made the appeal in Katsina on Tuesday, at a stakeholders’ meeting on Rural Security Watch and Early Warning Signs.

Recall that on several occasions, Mr Radda vowed not to dialogue with the bandits, except, when they, on their own, choose to surrender.

Mr Lawal-Tsagem observed that there were reports that some top federal government officials had been facilitating a series of peace dialogue in some of the affected areas in the state.

According to him, the stakeholders’ meeting is designed to strengthen national unity, bolster peace and facilitate national growth and development.

He said, “NOA really recognises the unprecedented efforts made by the governor to bring back peace in the state. We must attribute the improvement being recorded to the efforts of the governor. However, we’re appealing to the state government to recognise and support the peace building efforts ongoing at various security challenged local government areas and at community levels in the state. NOA also appreciates the commitments of our gallant security agencies in dealing with these challenges across the state. We salute them and pray for them to succeed.’’

He also appealed to farmers, herdsmen and communities involved in the state to embrace peace and cooperate with the state government in its efforts to end the activities of criminals.

Mr Lawal-Tsagem explained that as part of its role in the implementation of the national action plan for peace building between herders and communities in Nigeria, NOA had embarked on a nationwide stakeholders’ engagement.

He said the engagement was meant to discuss ideas on how to restore peaceful coexistence and national unity among the diverse ethnic groups, particularly in a country where herders, farmers and some communities had been at loggerheads for decades.

According to Mr Lawal-Tsagem, there are a lot of security challenges currently threatening national unity and development.

He stated, “For example, there is insurgency in the North-East, secessionist agitations in the South-East and South-South, youth restiveness in the South-West, and banditry and kidnapping in the North-West and North-Central. But the herders-farmers clash is spread almost everywhere in the country and has adversely affected the socio-economic life of the country. In this meeting, participants will discuss the causes and impacts of insecurity in our rural areas and suggest effective ways of resolving them. Katsina has been calm and peaceful before the arm banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling became rampant in the state.’’

He suggested that the root causes of the problems must be identified and addressed, to guarantee lasting peace.

He added, “We give glory to Almighty Allah; peaceful agreements are being initiated and worked out between herders and farmers in some areas of the state. But the questions now are, how can these agreements be maintained or sustained? How can we heal the wounds in the hearts of those who lost their loved ones and valuable property during the conflicts?”

(NAN)