The Country Director, International Alert, Nigeria, Paul Nyulaku – Bemshima, has said there certain negative narratives were driving violence in the North-West, Nigeria.
He said to curb these, lessons, insights and messages shared from the just concluded Strategic Communications (STRATCOM) Assessment in North-West Nigeria workshop that fuel radicalisation and alternative narratives and communication tools may be used to address insecurity in the North-West.
Paul noted this in Abuja at the just concluded the one-day workshop on reflection session to validate preliminary findings from Strategic Communications Assessment in North-West Nigeria with support from the UK International Development through the Conflict Stability and Security Fund (CSSF).
According to him, the key findings from our recent STRATCOM assessment conducted in Kaduna and Zamfara states will be analysed.
He further explained that five months ago, they conveyed a stakeholders meeting of media practitioners and communication experts in Sokoto and had religious leaders, community leaders, traditional leaders and others in attendance .
” We had this conversation about what the negative narratives were in the North-West, negative narrative that were driving the violence extremism, negative narratives that impeded access to justice , narratives that promoted gender based violence .
“We want to create a community of practice, so that we all brainstorm, design a strategy that enables us to take things further,” he said.
