Communal relationships strained by Boko Haram major challenge, says Danjuma

The Chairman, Presidential Committee on the Northeast Inititiative (PCNI), Lt. Gen. Theophilus Yakubu Danjuma, has said that the activities of Boko Haram insurgents around the Northeast has resulted in the straining of relationships among residents of affected communities.

Danjuma, who spoke at the Interreligious Dialogue for Peaceful Coexistence in the Northeast States, which was held in Yola yesterday, also said that mending the strained relationships is a major challenge.

He said: “Communal trust is among the most fundamental elements that suffered during the insurgency.

“The immediate fallout is the disruption of peaceful co-existence and harmony in the Northeast.

“The Boko Haram mayhem which manifested in killings, kidnapping for ransom and adoption of women and young girls substantially strained relationships in the communities.”

The former Chief of Army Staff and then Minister of Defence reiterated that the challenge before the nation now “is how to reverse this trend and also complement the effort and sacrifice of our military in the ongoing war against Boko Haram insurgency.”

Represented by Tijjani Tumsa, Danjuma said that in its determination at ensuring enhancement and deployment of community mechanisms for peace building, the PCNI had trained a total of 1,020 people comprising 80 traditional rulers, 60 imams and 30 lower court and Sharia court judges in each state of the Northeast.

“PCNI also collaborated with the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution, Abuja, to facilitate dialogue between the ethnic Mambilla and the Fulani in Mambilla as well as the people of Michika and Madagali in Mubi in the past,” he added.

“The purpose of the dialogue was to sensitise the people on the need for peaceful co-existence, partnership and collaboration that will help build peace, preserve lives and property”.