World Peace Day; CITAD Urges Government To Adopt Technological Solution To Insecurity;Youth empowerment and peace building are the two sides of the same coin; without the former, the later will be contradictions in terms. Similarly, any peace attempt that does not take into account aspect of livelihood will be short-lived. Peace through entrepreneurship offers long lasting solution and sustainability. Peaceful coexistence is key to good

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a National
nongovernmental organization using ICT to promote peace and mitigate conflict, foster
development, good governance and societal wellbeing in peace and tranquility is joining millions
of people over the world in celebrating the 2020 International day of Peace with the theme
“Shaping Peace Together”.
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The
UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace,
through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
In Nigeria, this year, it has been clearer than ever that apart from enmity, religious and ethnicity
crises we have been battling with especially in the Northern part, our common enemy is a
tireless virus that threatens our health, security and very way of life. COVID-19 has thrown our
world into turmoil and forcibly reminded us that what happens in one part of the planet can
impact people everywhere.
It is a real tragedy looking into overwhelming destabilization of peace and security in some
states of North East and North West as we are deeply concerned with the daily hike of violence,
killings, kidnappings, burning of people’s properties, herder-farmer clashes, increase in rape
cases, domestic violence, and so forth. To this end, we strongly condemn all acts of threatening
peace and promoting violence in our dear nation.
Over the last couple of years, CITAD has been coordinating several projects, publications and
programs that focus around and promote peace building in the country such as our recent
research program, Conflict and Corruption, that engaged youth more to harvest alternative ideas
on how we can overcome insurgency in these regions, which emphasizes that unless the
embedded corrupt practices in current countering violence are addressed, the Nigeria will
continue to experience violence. Some of its findings and recommendations are:

Youth empowerment and peace building are the two sides of the same coin; without the
former, the later will be contradictions in terms. Similarly, any peace attempt that does not
take into account aspect of livelihood will be short-lived. Peace through entrepreneurship
offers long lasting solution and sustainability. Peaceful coexistence is key to good
governance and sustainable development. As such, concerted efforts must be made towards
achieving sustainable peace in our various communities. Without peace there is no progress
and when there is lack of progress, development is retarded and human society is subjected
to untold suffering and hardships.
We must endeavour to explore all the ingredients that build, sustain and consolidate
peaceful coexistence and in doing this, young people should be engaged fully to ensure
sustainable peace building.
Government at all levels must create job opportunities to reduce youth unemployment and
restiveness as unemployed youth are being used to perpetrate violence and are at risk of
joining violent extremism.
Young people should build the culture of peace among them by using innovative strategies
and always say no to those who use them to cause violence.
Violence is always evil and destructive. It is the responsibility of all patriotic Nigerians to
work collectively towards curbing the plague of insurgency, violent agitations and

hate
speech threatening the peace and corporate existence of the country.
6. Employ the use of ICT tools will surely reduce corruption and enhance peace building as
well as entrepreneurship opportunities for youth.
7. CITAD is calling on all the stakeholders and peace actors to in the interest of peace change
the strategies in converting violence and use Conflict resolution and management tools to
restore PEACE and security so that people will live in peace and economy will boost.
8. We are also calling on the security agencies to keep their eyes open and continue scouting
every citizen, be it a politician or not who engage in any act or say a word(s) of call to
action that may trigger violence or disturb peace in any society and bring these perpetrators
into book without fear or favour.
The problem of insecurity in Nigeria has been further compounded by lack of
technological knowhow and its application majorly in the aspect of using information
technology as a tool in tackling insecurity in Nigeria. Therefore, the following are
recommended:
Governments should invest more on ICT in the security sectors
· Governments and individuals should embrace use of Science and Technology
related research
· There should be proper collaboration between the information technology sector
and the Defence and security sector.
· The federal government should ensure proper implementation of ICT tools and
training in all its agencies, departments and parastatals; more especially in the security
headquarters and campuses, custom service commission, immigration service
offices and others. Such tools include the following:
· Close Circuit Television (CCTV)
· Online Vehicle Registration
· Proper SIM Registration
· GPS locations
Cheap and robust Drones for urban, rural and forest surveillance.
So, we are using this day to call on governments, individuals, security agencies and Civil
Society Organizations working on peace to do all we could to allow PEACE to reign.
CITAD wants to end this statement by enjoining people in the Northern states and Nigeria in
general to shun violence and cherish peace at all times.