UN Seeks Security, Communities Collaboration to Defeat Insurgency

The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria Edward Kallon on Wednesday advocated for a strong link between the security and people to find lasting solution to the Boko Haram crisis in Lake Chad Basin

At the closing of a two-day Lake Chad Basin Governors’ Forum held in Maiduguri, Kallon said that the collaboration was a sure way of addressing the enormous problems and challenges of the area.

The Forum was organised by the UNDP and Borno State Government with funding support from Germany Government and seven governors from Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Nigeria.

”For us to find a lasting solution to the crisis, we need to ensure we establish strong links between parties especially the security forces and the communities.

”We have noted that it is critical for us to embrace and capacitate traditional and religious system to play a decisive role towards resolving the crisis and bring hope and peace to the affected communities

”Also important to promote the involvement of youth, women and civil society organisations in our continued advocacy for peace and tolerance, ” he said.

According to him, the resolve of young people to actively engage in the shaping of their future is critical.

Kallon stressed that it had been agreed that the local voices must be heard, and grassroots perspective taken into consideration.

He commended the governors of the Lake Chad Basin who he said had discussed extensively to address various problems affecting the area.

”Bearing in mind the effect of conflict, the shrinking of the Lake Chad, and the limited access to natural resources in communities in border areas, it is clear that the forum had achieved its main objective.

”The forum had achieved its intended objectives which include to draw political and public attention on the importance of strengthening regional cooperation on stabilisation, peace-building and conflict prevention.

”This will serve as a foundation for medium to long term sustainable development,” he said

Kallon lauded the governors’ commitment and support for the development of the area.

He expressed the hope that the Forum would renew international support in the recovery of, reintegration and reconstruction process in the Lake Chad Basin.(NAN)