{
  "id": 11019530,
  "title": "IPCR, FES seek trust-building between citizens, security agencies",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/ipcr-fes-seek-trust-building-between-citizens-security-agencies-11019530",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-30T20:16:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/ipcr-fes-seek-trust-building-between-citizens-security-agencies/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) have called for increased focus on social justice, inclusion, and economic opportunities as crucial factors in maintaining peace in Nigeria. Dr Joseph Ochogwu, Director-General of IPCR, and Lennart Oestergaard, Country Representative of FES Nigeria, made this appeal during the fifth induction ceremony of members of the National Peace Academy in Abuja. Ochogwu emphasized that peace could not be sustained merely by the absence of violence, stating that exclusion, inequality, and perceived injustice could lead to renewed conflict. He highlighted the induction of new peace practitioners as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria's professional peace architecture and build capacity for conflict prevention and resolution. The inductees, representing various public and private institutions, demonstrated that peacebuilding is a collective responsibility. Ochogwu urged the inductees to become agents of dialogue, reconciliation, and de-escalation in their respective organizations and communities, emphasizing the importance of modeling fairness, inclusion, and restraint over division, partisanship, exclusion, and reaction. FES's Oestergaard echoed the need for social justice, arguing that peace must extend beyond the absence of violence to encompass dignity, economic security, and equal opportunities. He identified poverty, inequality, exclusion, and lost livelihoods as factors that could fuel conflicts and make recruitment into armed groups easier. Oestergaard also stressed the importance of building trust between security forces and communities, pointing out that military and police operations alone cannot ensure lasting security. He highlighted trust between security forces and communities, mediation, early warning systems, job creation for young people, women's participation, regional cooperation, and effective use of peacebuilding institutions as key measures for strengthening peace. Oestergaard emphasized the upcoming 2027 elections as an opportunity to invest in peace through credible, peaceful, and inclusive voting processes.",
  "summary": "The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution and Friedrich Ebert Stiftung have called for social justice and inclusion to build trust and sustain peace Read More: https://punchng.com/ipcr-fes-seek-trust-building-between-citizens-security-agencies/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch",
        "title": "IPCR, FES seek trust-building between citizens, security agencies",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/ipcr-fes-seek-trust-building-between-citizens-security-agencies",
        "published": "2026-09-30T19:58:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}