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March 28, 2024

Peace Institute to open offices nationwide to check conflicts — Bakut

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By Ifeanyi Nwoko

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) is to set up offices nationwide to help curb conflicts and engender peace, according to the Director-General of the institute, Dr Bakut Bakut.

Speaking at a special forum of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday, Bakut said the offices would be established before the end of 2023.

He said that establishing the offices would take the institute closer to the people and closer to the root causes of conflicts.

The director-general noted that setting up offices across the country would also put the IPCR on the path to fulfilling its mandate.

“When I came in, I felt that we had been operational for many years and we did not have serious presence in the country and yet we had an African mandate.

“So I made sure that before the end of the year 2018, we established four offices.

“One is in Gwagwalada. Then we have one in Ekiti, one in Anambra North, and one in Plateau State.

“For now I can tell you that we have 10 offices in the country. Six of them are functional and to the other four, we are in the process of posting staff.

“My estimation is that by this year, 2021 – I am going to also have another 10 offices opened.

“I am doing these because the conflicts are in our localities. The conflicts are not in Abuja. They are not in the state capitals. They are where the real people are.

“Until we are able to reach the people, sensitise them, advocate for peace, intervene and train them on how to live in peace with one another, we will just be talking.

“I want to say that between now and the time I will conclude my responsibility, I want to assure you that we would get the institute to every part of Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)

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