Rotary Partners Presidency For National Community Violence Reduction Programme

The Rotary Action Group for Peace, Kaduna State Branch has signed a new strategic partnership with the Presidency through the Office of the National Security Adviser to implement the National Community Violence Reduction Programme, a nationwide peacebuilding initiative aimed at curbing insecurity and promoting sustainable peace.

The Kaduna State Coordinator of the group, Rotarian Luqman Babatunde, made this known during the maiden press briefing held in Kaduna.

Rotarian Babatunde explained that the strategic partnership marks a major milestone in Rotary’s commitment to peace and national stability.

According to him, the Rotary Action Group for Peace, which is a civil society arm of the Rotary International is dedicated to promoting behaviours, structures, and institutions that uphold peacebuilding, peacemaking, and peacekeeping.

Rotarian Babatunde noted that the new partnership will strengthen community resilience and foster dialogue among citizens across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

He also explained that the group has adopted people-centered strategies that address the root causes of violence, from terrorism and banditry to youth restiveness and social exclusion.

Rotarian Babatunde noted that the initiative is backed by the National Counter Terrorism Centre, Gray-Child Foundation, and Rotary Action Group for Peace Nigeria, RAGFP Nigeria, aimed at integrating a whole-of-government and a whole-of-society approach.

While commending the Kaduna State government under the leadership of senator Uba Sani for maintaining a peaceful atmosphere been enjoyed in the state so far,

Rotarian Babatunde pointed out that the Kaduna State branch of Rotary Action Group for peace has implemented several local peace initiatives since its commissioning in 2024.

He expressed readiness to work with the government to bring about lasting peace in the state.

The coordinator expressed concern over the worsening insecurity in the country, noting that recent reports indicate that over 4,800 conflict-related deaths were recorded in 2024 and 3.5 million internally displaced persons as of March this year.

“Rotary’s presence in Nigeria has come to complement government’s efforts in slowing and curbing lack of peace in our society with Positive Peace.

The new marriage borne between the Rotary in Nigeria and the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has opened a vista in a non-kinetic approach in dealing with the societal menace.

Lastly, we want to congratulate the Kaduna State Government on the peace system it has foregrounded, especially among the varying ethnicities.

The Kaduna Peace Commission is a veritable initiative that has held steadfast the chord of unity in the state and has contributed significantly to the level of steady peace the State is enjoying of recent.

We are delighted to note that Kaduna State is one of the few states in the country to institute and activate the concept of the Peace Commission which is an advisory of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF).”

“The initiative has won the State Government the positive recognition of moving from the red zone to Amber according to the recent rating by the delegation from the United Nations (UN), ” he added.

Naomi Anzaku, Edited By Grace Namiji