From Gyang Bere, Jos

A group under the aegis of Centre for Law Enforcement Education in Nigeria (CLEEN), said over 2, 575 deathly clashes were recorded in Plateau, Zamfara, Kaduna and Taraba State in nine months.

Project Advisor of CLEEN, Mrs Wumi Asubiaro-Dada

Project Advisor of CLEEN, Mrs Wumi Asubiaro-Dada, disclosed this on Thursday at a two-day forum on early warning and early response system for communities in Plateau state.

Asibiaro-Dada explained that the figures documented by SBM intelligence, an international data gathering organisation, shows the reality of the insecurity being faced in the country.

“SBM Intelligence has documented 2,575 media reports of violent clashes in Plateau, Zamfara, Kaduna and Taraba from Jan. 1 to September 2021.

“Zamfara had 1, 331 cases, Kaduna recorded 908, Plateau had 254 while Taraba had 82 violent clashes and alot of lives were lost during the clashes.”

Asubiaro-Dada stated that it was in this light that the foundation implemented the Early Warning and Early Response project to help communities in Plateau to de-escalate violent attacks.

She said the foundation was working in the four states with the hope of leading to more lives being saved.

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She added that the foundation was doing things differently by using technology to tackle security in their communities.

Asubiaro-Dada explained that a mobile application and a phone code would be deployed to the local communities to connect with security agencies and document incidences.

The Chairperson, Plateau Peace Practitioners Network, Mrs Pwakim Choji, in a remark, regretted that attention has been shifted to the north-eastern part of the state with little being done in other areas.

Choji pleaded with government to put more proactive measures in mitigating violent clashes in and around Plateau and beyond.

The Director-General, Plateau Peace Building Agency, Mr Joseph Lengman, applauded the project, stating that it would douse tensions and de-escalate violence in many communities in Plateau.

Lengman said it would also put people in the centre of decisions and conversations, leading to the prevention of violence.

He urged all state and non state actors to work together to foster mutual understanding and cooperation as required to reduce the occurrence of violent clashes in Plateau.