From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos_
Stakeholders in Lagos have declared that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful development without deliberate investment in peace, warning that insecurity, injustice and disunity continue to threaten the nation’s future.
The call was made on Friday at a press conference convened by the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ojota, in partnership with the Eagle Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI) and other civil society groups, to announce activities for the 2026 International Day of Peace.
The groups are organising a 10-kilometre Peace Walk today, Saturday, in Lagos as part of global activities to commemorate the Day, which is observed every September 21.
This year’s theme is “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.”
Addressing journalists, the Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ojota, Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo, said the theme challenges Nigerians to stop seeing peace as merely the absence of gunfire, but as a conscious investment that demands resources, institutions and collective will.
He lamented that Nigeria’s enormous potential in talent, faith, culture and resilience is being undermined by violent extremism, farmer-herder clashes, banditry, communal conflicts, kidnapping and youth restiveness.
“Peace is not a luxury for the rich nations. It is not a privilege for those who can afford private security. Peace is a human right and a public responsibility that must be invested in daily,” Fr. Anoliefo said.
He warned that displacement of families, children dropping out of school due to fear, and loss of livelihoods have made peace a matter of human survival.
“Where there is no peace, you cannot guarantee food security, you cannot deliver quality education, you cannot provide good healthcare, and you cannot attract investment. No peace, no development,” he stressed.
Fr. Anoliefo urged government at all levels to prioritise human security, justice, education, opportunity and social cohesion, noting that investment in human capital remains the most sustainable path to peace.
According to him, government must promote justice and accountability, create platforms for dialogue before conflicts degenerate into violence, and ensure truthful and effective communication.
On its part, ECAPI said peacebuilding must begin at the grassroots.
Its National Provost Marshal, Detective Omotayo Oyeyemi, and Lagos State PRO, Detective Collins Nniga, said the organisation is committed to bridging divides and amplifying citizens’ voices while promoting human rights and dignity.
They listed diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping as proven tools that must be strengthened, adding that ECAPI focuses on community policing, public safety awareness and intelligence gathering in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force and justice ministries to train citizens on crime prevention.
Also speaking, the Lagos State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Mustafa Adedeji Tukur, represented by Sandra Eguavon, said peace is a shared responsibility and justice is its foundation.
“A society that denies justice cannot enjoy lasting peace. Nigerians must embrace discipline, tolerance, mutual respect, duty of care and resilient leadership,” he said, urging citizens to become ambassadors of peace.
In his keynote address, the Chairman of the Institute of Global Peace and Conflict Management, Lagos Chapter, Dr. Kenneth Rafua, said peace must be intentionally managed.
“Peace is everyone’s business. It requires all hands on deck,” Rafua stated.
The groups aligned with the global message of UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who at the annual Japanese Peace Bell ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York, called on world leaders to invest in peace amid rising violence, division and suffering worldwide.
The press conference drew participation from several organisations including the Peace Corps of Nigeria, Institute of Global Peace and Conflict Management, Lagos State Right Hands Initiative, Nigeria Red Cross, The Equal Right Resolution, Creap Initiative, National Youth Council of Nigeria, Lagos State SDG Office, and the Youth Wing of the United Nations Association of Nigeria.
