By Chijioke Attah

A coalition of civil society organizations and other critical stakeholders in the South East geopolitical zone have urged the Federal government to adopt non-kinetic approach as part of measures aimed at addressing separatist agitations in the area.

This call was made during a one day dialogue tagged ‘Building Trust and Enhancing Civil-Military Relations in Nigeria’s South East Geopolitical Zone’, organised by the Security, Violence and Conflict Research Group, SVCRG, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in collaboration with the United States Institute for Peace, USIP.
Participants in the dialogue called on the Federal Government to release Nnamdi Kanu from detention in order to consolidate recent gains made in restoring peace and security in the South East, Nigeria.

Speaking to newsmen, the Coordinator of SVCRG, Professor Freedom Onuoha, said the call for the release of Nnamdi Kanu was based on the outcome of a research conducted by his group on the cause of insecurity and separatist agitations in the South East.

According to Onuoha, “SVCRG in its research on countering violent separatism and criminality in South East found out that the use of non-military approach in quelling agitations in the zone, including the release of Nnamdi Kanu would guarantee peace in the zone.

“The separatist agitations is being sustained because of what some locals perceive as unjust and continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu. And to achieve sustainable peace and security in South East, the concerns raised by these locals should be addressed by the Federal Government.

“The Federal Government has tried the military approach to stop separatist agitations in the zone for several years now and it had not extinguished the flame of violent separatism. So, we advocate for critical and strategic dialogue with the agitators which would lead to the release of Nnamdi Kanu from detention, and some kind of concessions.

Professor Onuoha, equally called on South East Governors to show sincere commitment in discussing with the Federal Government to use political solution to effect the release of Kanu from incarceration in order to stem the tide of insecurity and violence in the zone.

The Country Director, USIP, Professor Chris Kwaja, called for strategic dialogue between the military and agitators to improve civil-mIlitary relations in South East.

Professor Kwaja, who was represented by the Programme Officer of USIP, Terfa Hemen, equally called on South East Governors to listen to the yearnings of the people of the zone by constructively engaging with the Federal Government to adopt political solutions to the crisis in the region.

Participants discussed several other issues bordering on civil military relations in the region and articulated measures for strengthening trust and collaboration between the military and local population towards sustaining the recent gains at restoring normalcy in the region.

In his presentation titled ‘Insecurity, Separatist Agitation and Militarisation in South East, the Director, Institute for Peace, Security and Development Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuemeka Nwanegbo, stated that the failure of governance led to separatist agitations in South East.

Nwanegbo, further said that the military approach adopted by the Federal Government in quelling agitations in South East turned it into violent movement, adding that government ought to have integrated the freedom fighters into peace building process to achieve sustainable security and peace in the region.

According to him, while insecurity has put development on reserve gear in South East, building trust and strengthening relations between the civilians and military is needed to enhance security in the region.

Addressing newsmen, the Head, Peace Building, Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, South East Zonal Office, Princess Amaka Uzodinma, called on government agencies and stakeholders to engage youths in ethical value reorientation to forestall get-rich-quick mentality amongst them.

She also called on both the federal and state governments to initiate programmes geared towards youths empowerment and strategic engagements.

Also, while discussing the ‘ Gender Impact of Separatist Agitation in South East,’ Dr. Obioma Chike-Okenyi, of the Institute for Peace, Conflict and Development Studies, IPCDS, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, ESUT, raised the issue of alleged sexual molestation of women by the military.
She advocated for more gender awareness campaign for women, and urged the appropriate authorities to diligently investigate allegations of sexual harassment by security forces in order to gain the trust of the local population.