NGO Unveiled Nigeria Peace Index

An independent Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), Foundation for
Peace Professionals (FPP), has unveiled Nigeria Peace Index (NPI)
research focusing on measuring peace tendencies through foundational
indices. The Executive Director of Foundation for Peace Professionals
(FPP), Ambassador Abdulrazaq Hamzat explained that measuring peace at
the national level allows a country to assess the social, political
and economic factors that create peace. He pointed out that ‘’human
attitudes, which often impede peace is a total summation of human life
experiences, which if improved upon may lead to a more peaceful
society, and failure of which leaves us with constant unrest’’.
Explaining the methodology used in developing the index, Abdulrazaq
stated that, in attempting to rate the level of peace in Nigeria, NPI
investigated the extent to which states experience social, economic,
political and environmental factors that either hinders or promote
peace. Five broad indicators were adopted for the index and they
include, Level of Poverty, Crime Rate, Level of Education, Rate of
Human Rights Abuses and Level of Incarceration. ‘’We collected data
for year 2010-2016, an average of which gives us the result of Nigeria
peace Index 2017’’ He said. Abdulrazaq also added that, ‘’The NPI was
referenced in a special report presented at the United Nations in 2017
by United Network of Young Peace builders titled ‘’Mapping a Sector:
Bridging the Evidence Gap on Youth-Driven Peace building’’. Speaking
about regional performances, South West emerged as most peaceful
region in Nigeria, having two of its states, Osun and Ekiti as 1st and
3rd most peaceful states on the Nigeria Peace Index. Additionally, the
South South region, despite the activities of militancy groups still
has more tendency of peace than South East, North Central, North West
and North East region. The NPI report indicates that Osun and Kogi
State are most peaceful states in Nigeria, followed by Ekiti, Kwara
and Imo State, which emerged as 3rd, 4th and 5th most peaceful states
respectively. The index also revealed that Yobe, Kebbi, Bauchi,
Zamfara and Sokoto State are the five least peaceful states in
Nigeria. This is apart from Borno State that was not considered in the
research due to insufficient data and the Boko Haram red light. The
representative of Statistician General of the National Bureau of
Statistics (NBS), Mr Ichedi S.J also commended the efforts of FPP,
stating that the organizations effort is an attempt to begin the
process of changing Nigeria’s narrative.

While urging FPP to seek collaboration and endorsement from statutory
government agencies, he assured them of the willingness of NBS to
provide all necessary support in the future. Engr. Chinedu Okpalanma,
Co-Convener of Citizens Action To Take Back Nigeria (CATBAN) who
unveiled the document expressed delight with the effort put into the
index. According to him, this excellent research work came at a time
when Nigeria dearly need peace in its quest for nation building and
this important report will go along way in shaping our perception as
well as provide appropriate policy direction for peace building.