French envoy: Stakeholders not doing enough to address insecurity in the north-west

Ellien Helios, head of cooperation at the embassy of France in Nigeria, says efforts to find sustainable solutions to the insecurity in the north-west are inadequate.

Helios, who represented Jerome Pasquier, France ambassador to Nigeria, at a workshop in Abuja on Wednesday, highlighted some of the security challenges in the region.

The workshop was convened by Pastoral Reserve (PARE) in collaboration with Search for Common Ground (SFCG), Nextier SPD and the French embassy.

Helios urged all concerned stakeholders to step up actions to effectively define and tackle insecurity.

“There are many factors affecting the north-west region for years now, there are also many actors, but I don’t think there is enough being done by the actors to have a better understanding of the situation and try to find some appropriate solutions to the insecurity and the subsequent sufferings,” he said.

“We have a unique opportunity to work and listen to people that are gathering the best expertise on these issues, so let’s seize this opportunity as a starting point to get humble, but to also develop a better understanding of the issues, strategize response, develop a coordinative approach and increase action.”

Mohammed Dauran, commissioner of security and home affairs in Zamfara state, regretted that banditry has led to the daily loss of lives, destruction of properties and food insecurity.

Represented by Muhammad Adamu, an official in his ministry, the commissioner said 95 percent of the state’s population involved in farming no longer go to farms for fear of being attacked.

He disclosed that over 2000 people (reported cases) were kidnapped by armed bandits.

“Example, in one emirate of Dansadau, about N75,000,000.00 has been paid as ransom by families of kidnapped victims,” he said.

He, however, said peace-building efforts, unconditional release of about 525 kidnapped victims from both bandits and armed militia group between July and December 2019 restored “some level of peace” in the state.

The commissioner called for more support from government and non-governmental agencies to rehabilitate and empower victims.

Ndubuisi Nwokolo, senior research and policy lead, Nextier SPD, said the insecurity in the north should not be seen as the region’s problem alone.

He said the entire nation could bear the consequences of “collective negligence”, recommending dialogue as a measure to permanently address the problem.