As part of efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism in Nigeria, civil society organisations (CSOs) have expressed their willingness to petition the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to investigate politicians, clerics, monarchs, and other citizens who use their positions to incite violence.
The CSOs, operating under the banner of the Partnership Against Violent Extremism (PAVE) Network – PCVE-KIRH, explained that the outcome of the NHRC’s investigation would lay the groundwork for legal action against individuals who make inflammatory comments, as part of broader efforts to counter violent extremism in the country.
The Chair of the National Steering Committee of the PAVE Network – PCVE-KIRH, Jaye Gaskia, expressed this willingness while inaugurating the PAVE Network’s FCT Chapter.
He stated: “When it comes to the question of indictment or inflammatory comments, regardless of who is responsible for the incitement, whether politicians or others, including religious or traditional institutions—I believe we have sufficient laws that outline how harmful these actions are, as well as the penalties attached to them.
“Another issue is the lack of willingness to implement these laws. Those responsible for enforcing them are often the same individuals who violate them, and it is not in their interest to act otherwise. That is why I believe we need much greater vigilance from civil society and citizens.”
He continued: “There are many developments that require us to begin calling people out and mobilising around the implementation of existing laws. It is beneficial to test the judicial system, observe the outcomes, and determine how we can ensure we have legitimate standing to challenge such matters.
“This may also lead to class-action lawsuits, where groups of individuals who have been victims of such actions can take collective legal action. That class-action approach might be a good starting point.
“Another immediate step could be to petition the National Human Rights Commission and compel it to conduct an inquiry. Based on the outcome of such a probe, we can then proceed to court. These are some of the issues we need to address seriously; otherwise, the situation will continue to deteriorate.”
The Media Coordinator and Consultant for the PAVE Network, Senator Iroegbu, said PAVE is a network of civil society organisations, experts, and professionals across the federation, focused not only on preventing and countering violent extremism but also on promoting peace and stability in Nigeria.
Iroegbu, who is also a member of Media Against Violent Extremism, stated: “Preventing and countering violent extremism is a global challenge. From Afghanistan to the Middle East, even the most sophisticated countries have struggled.
“It requires a whole-of-society and whole-of-government approach to succeed—this is the driving force behind the PAVE Network.”
Noting that security is everyone’s responsibility, Iroegbu stressed that the philosophy behind the PAVE Network is to ensure that every segment of society contributes to the total eradication of violent extremism in the nation.
He described the FCT as a microcosm of Nigeria, home to citizens from virtually every ethnic background, as well as members of the international community, and emphasised that the security of the territory is paramount.
He also underscored the need to devolve power in the FCT to enable initiatives of this nature to cascade seamlessly to the grassroots.
Linus Aleke
Follow us on:
