‘Why Early Warning System Remains Vital in the South South Region’
The emergence of conflict multitude exacerbated by the activities of agitators, separatists, and armed opposition groups has undermined public safety and exposed communities to varied threats and attacks.
A group of experts made this known at a one-day Community Security Architecture Dialogue on Early Warning and Early Response in Rivers State.
Organised by the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy (CISLAC)/IT-Nigeria with support from Open Society Foundation Africa (OSF-Africa) the dialogue, aimed at strengthening local participation and expand community-based early warning and early response network and system.
The experts observed that threats to human security in the South South are driven by poverty, bad governance, youth unemployment, drug abuse, and environmental pollution.
“Common threats to human security in this region include cultism, inheritance law, unguarded activities of vigilante groups, sea piracy and robbery, land struggles, electoral violence, artisanal oil refinery, land grabbing, scavengers, dirty oil politics, ungoverned spaces.
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“The unattended recurring activities of cult groups coupled with drug abuse in the South South region also constitutes a threat to human and community security.
“Delay in regulating the activities of vigilante groups impacts negatively on Community security and human rights, while backpedalling efficient operationalisation of Early Warning system.
According to the experts, it is necessary to create immediate Early Warning Early Response Situation Rooms across the states in the South South region to facilitate an integrated reporting system and coordinate response to threat signals.
“There is a need to redefine the role of vigilante groups through proper integration into community security architecture system with clearly-defined reporting mandates to mitigate reported cases of human right abuse.
“Equally, mainstreaming Community Security Architecture as part of the fundamental mandates and responsibilities of the Local Government authority to ensure proper supervision and coordination is a must.
“Also vital is amplifying public sensitisation and awareness on the newly promulgated inheritance law for full implementation to ensure gender justice and equality is very vital.” the experts said.
