Peter Aware Azi, from Jos
The National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) Kuru, which was established in 1979, has achieved a lot in policy formulation. The 2015 Peace Accord among the major political parties in Nigeria before the election emanated from the institute. The institution has graduated thousands of participants with the certificates of Members of National Institute (mni), Nevertheless, the institute graduated another set of 63 participants.
During the course, the Directorate of Research organized a methodology workshop on SALWS in collaboration with PRESCOM on the Small Arms and Light Weapons Survey. Prof. Habu Galadima, Director of Research, drew the attention of the participants to the availability of arms in Nigeria.
The weapons, sophisticated and lethal, are in the hands of civilians, fueling the conflict between herdsmen and farmers, insurgency in the North East and North Central and deployed for banditry in the Niger Delta.
Insecurity seems to be endemic and needs to be controlled but there is no accurate data or details on SALWS to inform policy action by the government hence the need for the survey.
The Director General of the Institute, Prof. Tijani Bande, who was represented by an alumnus, Mr. Jonathan Mela Juma’, welcomed all the participants to the workshop and said that the problems of arms has existed in the country for a very long time and constituted myriads of challenges .
He expressed optimism that the outcome of the research would have serious implication for national security policy on arms control and urged the participants to take the assignment seriously.
Prof. Graeme Wood of Yale University, USA, a professor of Political Science, who has been studying international terrorist activities and conducting research into the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) delivered a lecture on “ISIS/ISIL: Promoting a Broader Discussion on Similarities/Differences with Boko Haram“.
He focused the discussion on the similarities of ISIS and BokoHaram in terms of Islamic fundamentalist posture and lack of respect for the human person.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, said the participants at the institute had started exhibiting their character and knowledge in the society by the donation of French language laboratory.
The president stated this during the graduation of the Course 37 participants at NIPSS Kuru, Jos.
The president, who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo where the donation of the laboratory was made, said Nigeria was on the rise again despite the security challenges.