Written By Daniel Karlmax; Edited By Godwin Duru
The Arewa Cohesion for Peace, Unity and Development Initiative (ACI) has stressed that achieving lasting peace, unity and sustainable development remains the most effective pathway to addressing the security challenges confronting Northern Nigeria.
The organisation said dialogue, community participation and collective responsibility must take centre stage in efforts to restore stability, rebuild trust and strengthen the bonds among the region’s diverse communities.
Director General of ACI, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, stated this during a pre-event press briefing in Kaduna ahead of the Arewa Awareness Summit on Unity Against Insecurity slated for 5th of August in Kaduna.
According to him, although governments and security agencies continue to confront insecurity, lasting peace cannot be achieved without the active involvement of citizens, traditional institutions, religious leaders, community groups, the media and other critical stakeholders.
He noted that security is a collective responsibility, urging every segment of society to contribute towards promoting peaceful coexistence and preventing violence.
“As an organisation committed to peace, unity and sustainable development, the Arewa Cohesion Initiative believes that dialogue remains one of the most effective tools for resolving conflicts, rebuilding trust and strengthening the bonds that unite our diverse communities,” Idris said.
He added that the organisation was committed to fostering collaboration between communities and institutions, encouraging intelligence sharing, supporting youth engagement and promoting partnerships capable of addressing both the immediate and underlying causes of insecurity.
Idris said it was against this backdrop that the organisation would convene the Arewa Awareness Summit on Unity Against Insecurity, themed “Unity, Cooperation and Collective Action Against Insecurity in Northern Nigeria.”
According to him, the summit will provide a strategic platform for policymakers, security experts, traditional rulers, religious leaders, civil society organisations, youth and women groups, academics, development partners, the private sector and the media to examine the security situation in Northern Nigeria and develop practical pathways towards lasting peace.
He said the gathering would move beyond identifying challenges to inspiring concrete action through stronger collaboration, community ownership of peacebuilding initiatives and sustained stakeholder engagement.
The ACI Director General also called on development partners, policymakers, community leaders and well-meaning Nigerians to participate actively in the summit and support efforts aimed at building a safer and more united Northern Nigeria.
He further appealed to the media to continue promoting messages of peace, unity and responsible citizenship through accurate, balanced and constructive reporting capable of countering misinformation and discouraging hate speech.
