Osinbajo demands justice, accountability to end North-central conflicts

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo

Former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has called for justice, accountability and deliberate reconciliation to address persistent conflicts and social divisions in Nigeria’s North-central region.

He spoke on Monday at a conference organised by the Justice Research Institute, in partnership with the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru in Plateau State.

Mr Osinbajo said lasting peace would require governments, religious leaders, the political elites and civil society organisations to work together to rebuild trust among communities affected by years of violence.

The conference, themed “Countering Polarisation and Rebuilding Civic Cohesion in North-Central Nigeria: Beyond Tribe and Faith—Reclaiming Our Shared Stories,” brought together stakeholders to discuss practical approaches to addressing divisions and restoring peaceful coexistence.

Mr Osinbajo said rebuilding social cohesion required a deliberate change in how people viewed themselves and related to others across ethnic and religious divides.

“Let’s go back to being brothers and sisters again, and that orientation must be an intentional thing,” he said, stressing that uniting divided communities required deliberate government actions.

Citing South Africa and Rwanda as examples, the former vice president said societies that had experienced severe violence could rebuild relationships through determined leadership and sustained reconciliation efforts.

He referred to the 1994 Rwandan genocide, during which hundreds of thousands of people, predominantly Tutsis, were killed, saying the country’s subsequent reconciliation efforts demonstrated the importance of political commitment to rebuilding social cohesion.

“I think there’s a need for deliberate reconciliation and peacebuilding, and that can only be done by the government in collaboration with civil society groups and religious leaders,” he said.

He added that political and religious leaders, as well as civil society organisations, must promote unity, while governments must demonstrate the political will to address the underlying causes of conflict.

Mr Osinbajo also warned that reconciliation would be difficult without justice and consequences for wrongdoing.

He said victims of land grabbing and other forms of dispossession should have their properties restored, while compensation should be provided where necessary.

“For instance, if you look at the land-grabbing situation, the lands have to be returned to those from whom they have been taken. It’s as simple as that,” he said.

He said failure to restore victims’ losses would leave grievances unresolved and undermine efforts to rebuild trust among communities.

“Similarly, there must be penalty for wrongdoing, and our justice system… requires urgent attention,” he added, calling for improvements in the administration of justice.

In his welcome address, the Director-General of NIPSS, Ayo Omotayo, urged participants to approach the discussions with open minds and without prejudice.

Mr Omotayo said the conference should produce practical recommendations to improve relationships and secure a peaceful future for communities across the North-central region.

The conference chairman, the Emir of Lafia, Sidi Bage, a retired justice, also called for discussions that would produce meaningful solutions, promote justice and address the underlying causes of conflicts.

Mr Bage urged participants to embrace new perspectives and recognise their shared responsibility for building peaceful communities.

The co-chairman and Secretary-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam, Khalid Aliyu, said rebuilding civic cohesion remained challenging in some communities, partly because of misleading messages from some religious leaders.

Mr Aliyu stressed the importance of responsible religious leadership in promoting understanding, tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

The conference focused on ways to counter ethnic and religious polarisation and rebuild trust in the North-central region, which has experienced recurring communal violence and prolonged tensions among communities.