As part of the healing process after the devastating effect of the Boko Haram crisis in the northeast region of Nigeria ( in this case Borno and Yobe ), the Victims Support Fund (VSF) has launched a peace building project the will promote peace, security and social cohesion through inter/intra religious peace building among communities ravaged by the crisis.
The Executive Director of VSF, Prof. Sunday Ochoche who lunched the project both in Borno and Yobe called on the people to begin to learn how to forgive one another in order to regain peace within the region.
According to Prof. Ochoche who while addressing stakeholders at the Musa Usman Secretariat complex in Maiduguri said; “Today’s peace building project; was designed to enhance peace, reconciliation and social cohesion in the society, particularly the ones affected by the eight-year Boko Haram insurgency that claimed many lives and property in Borno state.
“While the campaigns of traditional and religious leaders; also sought to streamline the full implementation of various humanitarian interventions for rapid resettlement of Internally Displaced Persons ( IDPs ) in affected communities in the war ravaged region of northeast.
“This project was to reconcile and forgive among members of the communities that were seriously hurt, destroyed and traumatized during eight-year insurgency period”.
He explained further that implementation of the project; has already began in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC) and Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno state, as a pilot peace building project, adding that, the project will be extended to insurgency affected states of Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe, Bauchi and Taraba.
He disclosed that the peace building process embarked upon by VSF is a coordinated strategy of putting together the different interventions to fast track reconciliation, rehabilitation and cohesion among the various communities affected by insurgency.
“We want people to return to their normal ways of living and smile again, live in confidence and sleep with their two eyes closed,” Prof Ochoche said.
He mentioned some of the workable strategies to include “pulling and tapping from available local and international resources in the state that could mitigate conflicts and promote peace through; “Construction of networks of peace and conflict resolutions to achieve sustainable peace and development of communities affected by insurgency.”
Prof. Ochoche noted that the project will facilitate and sustain a strong multi-levels forum for inter and intra religious and cultural dialogue and reconciliation, adding that, “this could enhance sustainable research and documentation on trends and dynamics of conflicts in the northeast”.
At Damaturu, Yobe State, Professor Sunday Ochoche again took his message of forgiveness, reconciliation and peace to the people of the state who gathered at the Cultural Centre in Damaturu in the view of spreading the message to the rural communities.
He stressed that VSF will not relent in connecting the gaps that the insurgency has brough to the region through its comprehensive activities with the peace building project on the radar.
He added that VSF over the years has rebuilt, reconstructed and reconciled the affected persons in the north east and will not relent in restoring hope among the returning communities.
“VSF has been actively involved in the peace building process in the north east over the years and we will continue to do that to achieve lasting peace.
“We have been doing with economic, educational, health, and security components and everybody is doing his own to ensure that peace is been built in the returning communities because people have been divided around religious, political and other divides so this peace initiative will bring back the loss confidence in the minds of the people and that is actually what we are working on”, Prof. Ochoche said.
Speaking on the level of the participation of stakeholders, Prof. Ochoche said, “so far has been excellent and assure that the objectives of the initiatives will be realized” as the stakeholders will work towards achieving the desired goals”.
Both the representative of the Muslim community, Ustaz Hudu Mohammed and that of the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN ), Pastor Martin Ikem promised to take the message to their followers on the need to forgive one another and embrace peace at all times.
The Nation recalled that VSF was established early 2014 by the Federal Government under its Presidential Initiative for the North-East (PINE) to assist and treat Boko Haram victims injured in the eight year insurgency.
Since inception, it assisted six hospitals in the northeast and other parts of the country with funds to treat victims of terror attacks.
In Borno State for instance, VSF has provided education support to 80,000 primary schools pupils displaced by Boko Haram insurgency and rebuild destroyed schools, health centres and public structures at in Bama and Dikwa as well as supported farmers in dry season farming in Borno and Yobe State.
