…Say where there is no peace, there is no development
Ahead of the 2026 International Day of Peace, the Justice, Development and Peace Commission (JDPC) of the Catholic Church, Eagle Crime Awareness and Prevention Initiative (ECAPI), and other civil society stakeholders have joined the global call for tolerance, dialogue, justice and understanding as panacea for lasting peace in Nigeria.
The groups warned that peace remains the most urgent currency for development in a world fractured by war, poverty, disinformation and heightened insecurity.
They made the call at a press conference organised by the JDPC, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ojota, Lagos, to herald a 10km Peace Walk slated for today being Saturday as part of activities marking the International Day of Peace observed annually on September 21.
Speaking on the theme, “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” the Very Rev. Fr. Raymond Anoliefo of Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ojota, said the theme represents a shift from viewing peace merely as absence of war to recognising it as a deliberate and sustained investment that requires resources, institutions, collaboration and collective action.
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Anoliefo noted that Nigeria and other nations face complex and interconnected challenges including violent extremism, farmer-herder conflicts, banditry, communal tensions, youth restiveness, kidnapping and incessant killings, which underscore the need to invest in peace for national development.
“Invest in peace for everyone, everywhere, every day. Peace is not a luxury reserved for prosperous nations nor is it a privilege available only to those with the means to protect themselves from the cost of violence. Peace is a human right. Peace is a public responsibility,” he said.
“Nigeria is a nation of extraordinary potentials, rich in talent, faith, culture and resilience. Yet we cannot close our eyes to the insecurity, hardship, displacement and injustice that continue to threaten the dignity of millions. Many families are displaced, children taken from school by fear, a future that has been placed at risk, hence the need for peace. Peace is not an abstract concern for policy makers but a question of human survival, and it deserves to be treated as one because where there is no peace, there can be no development.”
According to the cleric, without peace there can be no food security, quality education, good healthcare or investment.
He identified human security, justice, educational opportunities and social cohesion as key areas government must focus on to boost peace, stressing that human capital development is central.
He called on government to invest in human capital development, promote justice and accountability, create room for dialogue before violence, and maintain truth and effective communication.
Similarly, the National Provost Marshal of ECAPI, Detective Omotayo Oyeyemi, alongside the Lagos State Command PRO, Detective Collins Nniga, called for robust investment in peace-building.
The ECAPI team expressed commitment to continue promoting causes that make for peace “by bridging divides and ensuring everyone’s voice is heard, by safeguarding the human rights and dignity that belong to every person, and by strengthening the proven tools of peace — diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping.”
“ECAPI focuses on grassroots community policing, public safety awareness, and intelligence gathering. We work in close strategic collaboration with law enforcement agencies, such as the Nigeria Police Force and local justice ministries, to train volunteers and citizens in local crime prevention to promote peace,” the group stated.
Earlier, the Lagos State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr. Mustafa Adedeji Tukur, said all citizens have a role to play in maintaining peace.
Represented by Sandra Eguavon, Tukur noted that a society where people are denied justice will struggle to have lasting peace, adding that Nigerians must maintain discipline, embrace duty of care, tolerance, respect for one another, show great leadership and remain resilient.
He urged all Nigerians to be ambassadors of peace for collective growth and development.
In his keynote address, the Chairman, Institute of Global Peace and Conflict Management, Lagos Chapter, Dr. Kenneth Rafua, underscored the need for intentional investment and management of peace.
“Maintaining peace in the country requires the collective effort of all. Peace is everyone’s responsibility,” Rafua said.
In his message to mark the Day, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, speaking during the annual ceremony at the Japanese Peace Bell at UN Headquarters in New York, appealed to world leaders to invest in peace as violence, division and conflict exacerbate suffering worldwide.
Participating organisations at the Lagos event included ECAPI, 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 Sustainable Development Goals Office, and United Nations Association of Nigeria (Youth Wing), among others.
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