The Executive Secretary, Society for Neighbourhood Peace and Development, SONPED, George Utomhim, has joined millions of Nigerians in appealing to aggrieved persons to sheathe their swords, as the coming elections need a secure environment to be free and fair, especially in the South-East.

Utomhim spoke against the backdrop of the frequent attacks on the property and personnel of the Police and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

He stated that the continuous act is against the collective spirit of progress. He believes rather, that there should be a growing need to “jointly protect our collective wealth and move forward into resolving together, peacefully, challenges along our way to a greater Nigeria.”

Utomhim further “appealed to the collective reasoning of our people, especially of the South-East region to exercise restraint and rather engaged jealously in protecting its social-economic structures and development stride achieved so far.

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He agreed that it may not be entirely better at this time, as Nigeria is going through a lot of challenges, “but yet it is fair enough and with concerted and spirited effort of everyone, we would become better.”

He says at a time like this, traditional rulers should use its institutions to continuously embark and facilitate peaceful dialogue among members of their communities.

He pointed out that such acts of burning of police stations and INEC offices expose the failure or weakness on the part of traditional institutions to effectively coordinate and facilitate grassroots dialogue for sustainable peace and nonviolence as tools for community development.

He further admonished the local government chairmen, representatives of various constituencies in the House of Representatives and the state houses of assembly to create platforms and programmes targeted at engaging their communities for the growing needs to embrace peace and nonviolence “as tools for dialogue and negotiation in resolving all issues confronting us as a people.”

Vanguard News Nigeria