Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for justice, accountability, and deliberate reconciliation to resolve the persistent conflicts and social divisions in Nigeria’s North-central region.
Speaking on the ongoing instability, Osinbajo argued that peace cannot be sustained in the region if perpetrators of violence are not held responsible for their actions. He maintained that the cycle of communal clashes and insecurity requires a more robust approach than mere security interventions.
The former Vice President made these observations while addressing the need for a lasting solution to the North-central crisis, emphasizing that social cohesion can only be restored through intentional and structured reconciliation processes.
Root causes of North-central instability
The North-central zone, comprising states such as Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa, has faced years of violent confrontations, primarily involving disputes between sedentary farmers and nomadic herders. While land and water resources often trigger the initial clashes, the violence frequently takes on ethnic and religious dimensions, creating deep-seated social fractures.
The consequences of this insecurity have been widespread. Beyond the loss of lives, the conflict has led to the mass displacement of rural communities, forcing thousands into Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps. This displacement has severely disrupted agricultural activities, posing a direct threat to food security in Nigeria.
Osinbajo’s position suggests that the current reliance on military presence may not be enough to achieve long-term stability. He noted that without a legal framework that ensures justice for victims and holds offenders accountable, the grievances driving the violence will continue to fester.
While various government-led initiatives, including peace committees and security task forces, have been deployed to the region, the recurrence of attacks suggests that the fundamental drivers of the conflict remain unaddressed. Civil society organisations have frequently called for a combination of law enforcement and community-driven dialogue to bridge the gap between conflicting groups.
The federal government has yet to announce any new specific policy or legal framework directly responding to these latest calls for systemic accountability in the region.
Explore more News stories from Business Elites Africa.
