IRI, NED partner NASS to end insecurity in Southeast, North

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives says Nigeria’s diversity is a beautiful colouration that signifies the strength and unity of a people in a journey towards nationhood.

Benjamin Kalu spoke at a National Engagement on Addressing Identity-Based Conflict in the country by the International Republican Institute and National Endowment for Democracy.

Nigeria faces a number of challenges, top of which is insecurity.

In the last decade, thousands of Nigerians have been killed and properties worth billions of naira destroyed.

From the South East, there has been agitation for self rule, which has led to tension and killings of innocent persons.

Terrorism, banditry and other forms of criminality hold the North in its jugular.

A two-day stakeholders National engagement on mapping actors to reduce Conflict in South East, North Central and North West regions of Nigeria was organised

In the midst of numerous challenges, this gathering, at the instance of the International Republican Institute and the National Endowment for Democracy, seeks to chart a new course towards Nigeria’s unity.

Deputy speaker, Benjamin Kalu, is the keynote speaker.

He believes the country can only achieve national cohesion if ethnicity is set aside.

The organisers say identity in itself is not a cause and source of conflict but the politicisation of identity

The communique expected at the end of the two-day dialogue is expected to marshal out ways of helping the country attain lasting place in Nigeria’s South East, North central and North West regions for economic and social development to thrive.