USMANU DANFODIYO UNIVERSITY, SOKOTO CENTRE FOR PEACE STUDIES
COMMUNIQUE OF AN INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON “PATHWAYS TO ENHANCED SECURITY AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION – NORTHWESTERN NIGERIA AND THE MIDDLE EAST IN PERSPECTIVE”
INTRODUCTION
In continuation of the mandate of the Centre for Peace Studies, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto to carry out researches and make interventions as well as looking for solutions to social, economic and political crises, a one-day International Symposium on “Pathways to Enhanced Security and Conflict Resolution – Northwestern Nigeria and the Middle East in Perspective,” was organized on November 9th, 2023 under the Chairmanship of Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed, mni. The speakers were:
- Dr Murtala Ahmed Rufa’i: “Assessing the Role of Community Based Security Outfits/Initiatives/Institutions in Conflict Resolution and Promoting Security in Northwestern Nigeria”
- Brigadier General (Rtd) Sani Usman Kukasheka: “The Imperative of Innovative Strategies for Mitigating Conflict and Security Challenges in Northwestern Nigeria”
- Professor Sunday Ochoche: “Exploring New Diplomatic Options Towards Conflict Resolution in the Middle East”
- Professor Isah Muhammad Maishanu: “Historical Dynamics of Israel–Palestine Conflict: The Way Forward.”
OBSERVATIONS:
Based on the presentations and contributions by other participants, the following observations were made:
- That the emergence of the community-based security outfits are as a result of the failure of the state to make adequate security provisioning.
- The insecurity challenges in the northwest region of Nigeria is associated with the prevailing abject poverty, illiteracy, unemployment, bad governance and inadequate provision of social and economic infrastructures by governments.
- The major cause of the conflict in the Middle East region revolves around issues relating to land and nationhood which had become a complex matter since the immigration of the Jews and subsequent creation of Israel.
- The Middle East conflict for the past seventy years had led to horrendous bloodshed, destruction of properties and displacement of populations, social and economic injustices which largely affect ordinary civilians.
- The Palestinian Question has defied amicable solution within the framework of the United Nations Resolutions and International law because of the insincerity, bias and other forms of prejudices exhibited by some of the major actors in the region and outside.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
Based on the presentations, the following recommendations were made:
- That the composition and operational activities of community based security outfits should be all inclusive devoid of ethnic and other types of socio-cultural differences.
- That the policy makers at all levels of government in Nigeria should urgently address the issues of poverty, unemployment, injustice and lack of infrastructures as a means of tackling insecurity in the economic deprivation and other issues of bad governance in the northwest region.
- State Governments in the northwest region should as a matter of urgency set up a regional security outfit to compliment the efforts of the conventional security agencies in combatting the menace of insecurity.
- That Peace Resolutions agreements based on the two-states solution should be implemented under the supervision of the United Nations without further delays.
- There is the imperative for sincere international mediation and negotiation in resolving other outstanding contentious issues in the Middle East conflict.
CONCLUSION
The symposium is recognized as another successful academic activity, hence the Centre for Peace Studies is hereby encouraged to maintain the tempo in organizing more activities of this nature as contributions towards peace building and conflict resolution nationally and internationally.
SIGNED: SIGNED
Abubakar Sokoto Mohammed, mni Professor M. T. Usman Chairman Director
Date: 09/11/2023
