Only Diplomatic, Political Mechanisms Can Resolve Niger Impasse – Prof. Babalola

The Convener of the National Peace Advisers/Assistants (NPAs), an initiative of the World Peace Organization (WPO) and Resident Country Director of Diplomatic Mission Peace and Prosperity (DMPP), Amb. Prof. Olumuyiwa Babalola, has said that only political and diplomatic mechanisms can resolve the crisis in Niger Republic.

He also asked the chairman of ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the regional bloc’s planned military action to restore democratic rule in Niger.

The Convener maintained that only diplomatic and political mechanisms can be used to address the situation.

He also called on President Tinubu to adopt the aforementioned channels to save Nigerians.

Babalola said that the recent unveiling ceremony of the Special Advisers on Peace Matters to assist the Federal and Local levels of the government in Nigeria supported by the World Peace Programme for Sustainable Development Network, will allow Nigerians to preach, practice, and live in peace whenever they find themselves in a way that would complement the government’s efforts to achieve a lasting peace for the country.

“This is because, already, we are having the problem of insecurity ranging from banditry and kidnapping to farmers, herders’ feud across the country, as well as insurgency in the North, militancy in the Niger Delta, and political violence in the South-East, had left the country backward in terms of national and social-economic developments.

“We believe that lasting peace can only be achieved through peace initiatives and mechanisms with a genuine human approach. Hence, the invention of the idea of Special Advisers on peace matters, as it’s the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa at large, to assist the government in securing sustainable peace at Federal, States and Local levels for national unity and growth,” Prof. Babalola stated.