Kimpact Development Initiative (KDI) has setup peace committees in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo states ahead of the governorship elections in the states.
Team Lead of KDI, Bukola Idowu, made this known during the desk review on the Pre-Election Security Risk Assessment (ESRA) survey of the 2023 off-cycle elections with stakeholders drawn from the three states in Abuja on Monday.
Idowu said the extensive survey identified security peculiarities in each state and identified flash points for political violence during the November 11 polls.
He called on stakeholders, including the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations and the media to join hands to ensure the off-cycle elections are free, fair and credible.
Giving an overview of the Nigeria Elections Violence Education and Resolution (NEVER), Program Manager of KDI, Abiodun Banjoko, said the institute studied trends in each state and came up with a preliminary report.
Banjoko added that the NEVER project worked on tracking, documenting and mitigating incidences of political violence.
Presenting the findings, Senior Program Manager at KDI, Oluwafemi John Adebayo, said their research indentified Dekina, Ofu, Igalamela-Odolu and four other local government areas of Kogi state as flash points for political violence ahead of November election in the state.
He disclosed that findings showed that unlike Imo and Bayelsa, reported cases of violence in Kogi are largely political.
Stakeholders at the review meeting called for more proactive approach to management of violence by security agencies.
Kimpact Development Initiative said it will engage heads of security agencies in Kogi, bayelsa and Imo before the November elections.
