No fewer than 60 research and security experts, state actors, civil society representatives, media practitioners, security actors, women, youth, policymakers, and professionals in the fields of violent conflicts and security have converged on Makurdi, the Benue State capital, for a Two-Day Policy Roundtable on Emerging Violent Conflict Trends in Nigeria. The roundtable is organised by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) Nigeria, in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), and Nextier.
Mr. Lennart Oestegaard, Resident Representative of FES Nigeria said apart from the fact that Nigeria is becoming the eye of conflict in Africa and the world, media narratives often resort to template-based classification of violence, assigning simplistic labels such as “farmer-herder conflict,” “banditry,” or “communal clashes” to events that are far more nuanced.
The FES Nigeria Resident Representative, who Mr. Chidi Ogwu represented, said these misclassifications obscure the true drivers of violence, such as land rights disputes, political manipulation, criminal economies, or intergenerational grievances, and risk fuelling misinformation, ethnic stereotyping, and even retaliatory violence.
He noted that stakeholders are expected to examine emerging trends, bridge data gaps, foster dialogue, and promote solutions that reflect the complex realities of violent conflict and its differential impact across genders and social groups.
In his remarks, Dr. Gerald Okafor, Director of the Directorate of Conflict Resolution, who represented Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, Director of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), said the policy roundtable provides an opportunity for interaction, bearing in mind that media-sensitive reporting is critical in conflict resolution.
He, therefore, called for collective efforts to ensure that Nigeria remains safe and peaceful.
According to Dr. Ndubisi Nwokolo, managing partner at Nextier, issues of violent conflict have evolved, noting that it is important to evolve with the issues.
Dr. Nwokolo, who was represented by Miss Ndidi Anyanwu, a Policy and Research Consultant with Nextier, observed that issues of violent conflict are underreported in the country.
In his contribution, Dr. Toby Ojokwu, representative of Dr. Benedict Agu, Executive Secretary of NHRC, noted that the challenge in Nigeria today is conflict and security, which goes contrary to the Constitution of Nigeria, which states that the primary function of government is security and welfare.
“Each time there is conflict, there is the likelihood to put human rights in abeyance,” he said.
Dr. Salaudeen Hashim, Director of Programmes, Client Foundation, gave a keynote presentation on Strengthening Media Accountability and Evidence-Based Reporting for Inclusive Peace and Security in Nigeria, which was followed by a panel discussion.
