The Nigerian National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in conjunction with the Institute for Peace, is set to host a regional peace forum in an attempt to put an end to increasing sect-related violence in Africa’s most populous nation.
The NEMA-hosted forum will take place this week in Lafia, Nasarawa state, the UPI reported.
Director General of the agency, Muhammad Sani-Sidi, announced intentions for the forum after his visit to St. Finbars Catholic Church in Jos, Plateau state where 11 had been killed in suicide bomb attacks.
Sani-Sidi called on community and religious leaders to be more vigilant and security conscious and above all to remain calm and strive for peaceful co-existence. The parish priest, Rev. Peter Umoren thanked the DG for his concern.
A series of bomb attacks targeting worship places have been attributed to the radical Islamic sect Boko Haram. The sect claims to want a wide spread implementation of Shariah law and has claimed responsibility for several attacks targeting security operatives.