By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with international peacebuilding organisation, Search for Common Ground (SFCG), to implement the Rapid Response for Peace (R2forPeace) initiative in selected communities across the state.

The agreement, which was formalised in Makurdi, is aimed at strengthening peacebuilding efforts and enhancing mechanisms for the early detection and response to emerging conflicts in Benue State.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, Governor Hyacinth Alia said the partnership reflects his administration’s commitment to fostering peace, stability and sustainable development across the state.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Deborah Aber, he noted that development can only thrive in an environment of peace and social cohesion stressing that “Benue state continues to recognise that sustainable development can only take place in a peaceful environment where communities coexist harmoniously.”

Governor Alia acknowledged that although Benue is endowed with enormous agricultural potential and a resilient population, the state also faces complex social and security challenges, noting that addressing such challenges require deliberate collaboration with credible organisations that possess global experience in peacebuilding and conflict transformation.

According to him, Search for Common Ground has built a reputation worldwide for promoting dialogue, facilitating conflict resolution and implementing community-driven peacebuilding initiatives. “Their emphasis on constructive engagement, inclusion and collaboration aligns strongly with the priorities of the Benue State Government,” he said.

The Governor explained that one of the immediate focus areas of the partnership is the R2forPeace initiative, which is designed to strengthen the ability of communities and institutions to respond promptly to emerging tensions.

“Through early engagement, dialogue and preventive interventions, this initiative will support ongoing efforts to sustain peace and stability in our communities,” he added.

Governor Alia emphasised that “the MoU we are signing today is not limited to a single programme. It establishes a broader framework for collaboration through which both parties can explore and implement various initiatives that promote peacebuilding, community resilience, social cohesion and governance strengthening,” he stated.

He also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for development partners to operate effectively through the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD).

“Peace remains the foundation upon which all meaningful development is built. Without peace, communities cannot thrive, investments cannot flourish and the aspirations of our people cannot be fully realised,” the Governor stressed.

In his remarks, the Africa Director of Search for Common Ground, Rag Mulmi, expressed delight over the partnership and assured the state government of the organisation’s commitment to ensuring the success of the initiative.

Mulmi said the organisation would work closely with stakeholders in Benue to ensure that the project achieved its intended goals of promoting dialogue and strengthening peace structures within communities.

Providing an overview of the project, the Project Manager of the Rapid Response for Peace initiative, Williams Ubimago, said the programme is designed to improve multi-stakeholder Early Warning Early Response (EWER) coordination mechanisms and build trust in government-led conflict response systems.

He explained that the 24-month project commenced on February 5, 2026, and is funded by the Spirit of America Foundation, with implementation expected to run until January 2028.

Ubimago disclosed that the project is being implemented in four states including Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau and Taraba, with specific communities in Guma and Logo Local Government Areas, LGAs, selected for the intervention in Benue State.

“The goal of the project is to reduce the incidents and severity of religious and inter-group violence by establishing community-based Early Warning Early Response systems that can identify tensions early and enable rapid response to potential triggers of violence,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the initiative would ultimately strengthen collaboration between communities and government authorities while improving trust in conflict response mechanisms.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director General of the Benue State Bureau for International Cooperation and Development (BICD), Leo-Angelo Viashima, described the signing of the MoU as a significant milestone for the state.

“Our job at the Bureau is to facilitate this process and ensure that partnerships such as this are properly structured for effective implementation,” he said.

Viashima disclosed that the agreement underwent thorough review and due diligence, noting that the MoU did not place any financial obligation on the Benue State Government.

“It is a non-financial Memorandum of Understanding. The government’s role is mainly to coordinate, support and provide an enabling environment for the partner organisation to implement the initiative,” he explained.

He added that the Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation (BSCPR) would coordinate the implementation of the programme within the state.

The MoU was signed on behalf of the Benue state government by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Iber alongside the State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Prof. James Ornguga, while the Africa Director of Search for Common Ground, Rag Mulmi led his team to sign on behalf of the organisation in the presence of senior government officials and development partners.