Michael Olugbode in Abuja
The European Union’s (EU) Deputy Head of Mission to Nigeria, Zissimos Vergos, has called for the elimination of factors contributing to criminality in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.
Vergos, who advocated a paradigm shift in addressing the scourge, spoke during the launch of a peace promotion project, tagged: ‘A Community-centred approach to transforming criminality and violence in the Niger Delta’ by a consortium of partners led by the Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in Niger Delta (PIND); Search for Common Ground (SFCG); Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN) and Academic Associates Peace Works (AAPW), and funded by the EU in Abuja.
Vergos said the EU would endorse inclusive community methods to tackle the underlying factors of violence in the Niger Delta region.
A recent report by PIND revealed that militancy/illegal oil bunkering-related clashes, kidnapping for ransom, communal conflict, mob violence, clashes between rival cult gangs, organised criminality, and separatist agitations are the most prevalent crimes in the region.
Speaking at the event, Vergos said: “We all know we cannot address the structural problems of the Niger Delta region directly, but what we can do is highlight the paradigm shift and the theory of change that can convince a lot of people.
“Out of our interest in seeing Nigeria achieve its status as the giant of Africa, what we can do as a partner is bring resources to the table so that Nigerian partners can work around their challenges. This is very important to highlight.
“Through this process, we are learning because we definitely don’t come around to historical problems, pretending that we fully understand the solution. What we know and bring from our societies is that inclusive societies do better.
“The EU supports inclusive community approaches to address systemic drivers of violence in the Niger Delta region,” he explained.
He commended the consortium partners for working together to propose an alternative narrative to the interference of violence prevailing in the region.
He said the project would help to propose an authentic narrative to the region for sustainable development.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Niger Delta, Abubakar Momoh, expressed the hope that the project would yield the desired impact.
Momoh, who was represented by his Special Assistant, James Khanoba, said: “We hope that the ‘Community- Centred Approach to Transforming Criminality and Violence in the Niger Delta’ project serves as a compass that guides government towards a more holistic understanding of the problem in the region and the potential pathways to sustainable solutions.”
The minister said the Niger Delta, with its breathtaking landscape and vast resources, was undeniably a region of immense promises.
He, however, added that the promise had been overshadowed by the persistent issues of criminality and violence impeding the growth and prosperity our people rightfully deserve.
According to him, the project is a testament to the unwavering commitment to address these challenges keeping in mind the human dimensions.
Country Director, of Search for Common Ground, Fatima Abubakar, said her organisation and the consortium partners have successfully launched the project in Bayelsa, Rivers, and Delta states, where the respective state governments demonstrated their commitment to promoting inclusive community security approaches and addressing the root causes of violence and criminality in the region.
